San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Chase Young will face his former team, the Washington Commanders, on Sunday, but he won’t call it a revenge game.
Young, whom the Commanders traded on October 31, downplayed his return to the nation’s capitol. Instead of saying he wants to show the Commanders what they’re missing he went back to the essence of the sport.
“It’s going to be fun,” Young told reporters on December 27.
A former No. 2 pick by the Commanders, Young emerged as a defensive star with the team before injuries hampered his development. He had five sacks and 15 tackles in seven games before the Commanders trade, and Young has made an impact for the 49ers with 2.5 sacks and seven tackles in the past seven games.
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In addition, Young can help the 49ers bounce back from a dismal 33-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day. A Niners win would also drop the Commanders to 4-12 — a loss shy of the team’s record in 2019 before Young’s arrival.
“At the end of the day, it’s just playing ball,” Young said. “What happens between those white lines will determine the outcome.”
Young also didn’t talk down his former team despite the struggles. The Commanders have a six-game slide, and the struggles of quarterback Sam Howell, who could start on Sunday, has made headlines.
“They’re definitely a team who’s going to fight to the end,” Young said. “I do know that. So we just got to come out good.”
Nick Bosa Says Commanders Game Means Something for Young
Niners defensive line Nick Bosa, who played in college with Young, said this particular game does matter to the fellow former Ohio State star.
“This week is a huge one for him,” Bosa told reporters on December 27. “He’s already pretty hyped up about it and excited, so we’re going to try and play our best game for him.”
Bosa also emphasized that Young has “done an amazing job” since joining the 49ers. Young plays 54% of the defensive snaps on a talented defensive line, and the Niners play him on special teams 7% of the time, something he didn’t do in Washington.
“I think he’s gotten better each week, and he continues to get better,” Bosa said. “He’s already pretty hyped up about it and excited, so we’re going to try and play our best game for him.”
Chase Young Has Embraced 49ers Culture
Young talked up the 49ers’ winning culture when he first arrived, and he has embraced it since then.
“We have a standard here,” Young said following the trade in November. “I feel like everybody tries to uphold that standard with everything they do: recovery, practice, and it’s definitely contagious. And kind of the competitive thing.”
“You see one of your teammates getting right and you might think, ‘All right, I gotta get right even more.’ I feel like that’s that friendly competitive nature I feel like we all have to be great,” Young added.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan said Young has “had a great impact” since joining the team. The 49ers will need to make a decision on Young, however, when his rookie contract expires after the season.
“I think he’s played the run well [and] I think he’s played the pass well,” Shanahan told reporters on December 27. “He’s helped with the rotations, just keeping everyone out there effective and fresher. I’m real happy to have him.”
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49ers’ Chase Young Has 5-Word Statement on Facing Commanders