Following a record-setting college career that included a BCS National Championship and a second-place finish in the Heisman Trophy vote, quarterback Vince Young knew that he would be one of the top selections in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Yet, he still took the time to approach Eagles head coach Andy Reid at the Maxwell Football Club awards that year, despite knowing the Eagles would not select him already having a star quarterback in Donovan McNabb.
"There are just certain people as you grow up from your childhood that you see that you have a certain type of respect for," Vince Young said at his introductory press conference Saturday. "When I saw him and I went up to him, I just wanted to introduce myself to him and let him know how much I have respect for him."
Young, who was drafted third overall by the Tennessee Titans in 2006, will finally have the opportunity to play for Reid as he agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Eagles on Friday.
In five seasons with the Tennessee Titans, Young earned two Pro Bowl selections (2006 and 2009) and established himself as an effective mobile quarterback. In addition, he earned a reputation as one of the most dangerous comeback artists in the NFL, engineering a game-winning drive or fourth-quarter comeback in 12 of his 30 career victories.
But he lost his starting job twice, in 2008 and 2010, and was released by the Titans last week.
While exploring his options, Philadelphia jumped to the top of Young's list, partly because of his friendship with starting quarterback Michael Vick. But Young said that ultimately the decision to come to Philadelphia was Reid.
"Some things just stand out about him, his respect from across the league as well as how players talk about him. I really feel like it was a good fit for myself," Young said. "I had a lot of opportunities but I felt like this was a great opportunity for me to get better as a quarterback and learn from him as well as learn from the rest of the quarterbacks here."
Reid said that Young will be the backup to Vick once he picks up the offense. However, Young stated that he plans to compete for the starting job.
"We're going to compete," Young said. "That's what we do and it's going to make him play better and it's going to make me get better. That's what we have to do. I've got his back and I know that if I get a chance to get out there, he's going to do the same."
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