Fans Saddened For Former No. 2 Pick After Thursday Night

Chase Young, once regarded as a generational talent, has had an eventful NFL career.

Drafted No. 2 overall by the Washington Commanders in the 2020 NFL Draft, Young made an immediate impact, earning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors after posting 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles.

However, his career took a turn following a torn ACL that sidelined him for much of the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Since then, Young has struggled to regain his dominant form, bouncing between teams in search of a fresh start. Currently, he’s on a one-year, $13 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, hoping to reestablish himself in the league.

Fans took to social media following Thursday night’s matchup between the New Orleans Saints and the Denver Broncos, expressing their sadness for the defensive end's decline.

"Chase Young was supposed to be generational," said one fan, whose post went viral with nearly 1 million impressions on X.

Young's fall from his once-promising trajectory has become a frequent topic among fans and analysts alike.

"The Chase Young fall-off needs to be studied," remarked another fan.

The disappointment stems largely from the fact that Young, who was a game-changing force in 2020, hasn’t looked the same since his ACL injury.

"Chase has just never been the same since his injury," added one more, reflecting the sentiment shared by many who have followed his career closely.

Many fans are wondering if Young will ever return to the form he showed in his rookie season. As one fan put it, "Sometimes it just doesn’t pan out."

This was followed by another fan asking, "Where did this Chase go?" — a reference to the dominant defender of the 2020 season.

As the season progresses, Young’s future remains uncertain, but fans can’t help but reflect on what could have been.

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