Chase Young and the Next Sixty Minutes

Chase Young stands sixty minutes away from a Super Bowl ring. Can he put together consistently excellent play in the biggest game?

Chase Young does not lack height. He stands six-foot-five. Likewise, he does not struggle in the weight department. The former Ohio State standout weighs 265 pounds. Coming into the draft, praise and kudos never eluded him. People compared his frame and style of play to possible 2024 Hall of Famer Julius Peppers. With all of these advantages and plaudits, why do people question his heart, motivation and internal drive to succeed?

Potential Frustrations

When right, Chase Young displays a combination of strength, explosion and dexterity to affect games. Unfortunately, the first two words of the previous sentence have recently continued to hound Young. Yet, what is right? According to injury reports, Young fully participates in practice. So, no injury concerns surround him. However, with a complete palate of pass rush moves, counters and every athletic gift, why does it not translate? In the last two-and-a-half months, Young tallied one sack and two tackles for loss. In the Detroit game, people observed Young lightly jogging after Jahmyr Gibbs. If no injury exists, and it does not, then why does Young shut off the energy at the most inopportune time?

Easy Path?

To his defenders, they wrongfully state that Young never had the surrounding cast. In all honesty, no Lids store exists to hold that amount of cap. In Washington, Young’s defensive line teammates earned four Pro Bowl nods. Each player, including Young, was a first-round pick. From the moment Roger Goodell announced the pick, Chase Young lined up next to talent every day of his NFL tenure. Equally important, both teams, the Niners and the Commanders, spent money to build a front four. Under those circumstances, sixteen-and-a-half career sacks in four years does not add up. Additionally, with elite defensive tackles and a bookend, you’d think Young would see single blocker, much easier to defeat than doubles and chips. With dawgs all around the defensive line, Chase Young failed to live up to the expectations of a second-overall pick.

The Hurt Business

In all honesty, the only defense that Young’s proponents could use is the injury bug. he missed twenty-three games since 2021. First thing to remember is that injuries are unfortunate, unlucky occurrences that no one wants. The bug bit Young a couple of times. Anyone faulting him for those missed games is wrong, or just ignorant. Dealer’s choice. The surgeon’s scalpel or the therapist stretch pad care not about your favorite football teams. Outside of that, everything else is on the table, critique wise.

The Next Sixty Minutes

Normally, these articles would extend for hundreds of words. Yet, for Chase Young, nothing he’s ever done or not done matter in the next sixty minutes of game time. For a few people, the chance at career redemption, at 24 years old and four years in, feels rare. With this is mind, fate places Young in the biggest game of his life, but not alone. On offense, the Niners enjoy a balanced scheme with playmakers all over and a smart, talented passer. Meanwhile, on defense, once again, Young’s teammates are a top-notch front seven. If anyone is due for a breakout game, the Super Bowl lines up perfectly for Chase Young. The Chiefs love to air it out. Patrick Mahomes will take vertical shots. In that case, holding the ball longer allows the rush to get even closer to him.

The Moment

If Chase Young can deliver on that potential on a consistent level on Sunday, he can change the narrative. With the wind at his back and his immediate future in front of him, what version will we see? In all honesty, nothing Young has accomplished a 49er should scare the Kansas City Chiefs. As a result, no double teams or scheming away from him will happen. Instead, the Chiefs probably hope to line up a tackle, one-on-one. Under that level of disregard, everything sets in motion a chain of events that could either enrich Chase Young’s bank account or cement his legacy in negative terms. The choice is his.