Ron Rivera updates Chase Young's health, mindset and calls 2021 'a bit of an awakening'

Chase Young was drafted by the Washington Commanders with the No. 2 overall pick two years ago, just one spot behind Joe Burrow.

The former Ohio State quarterback wrecker was labeled by nearly every NFL talent evaluator as a generational talent — the type of player who can find immediate success and define a defense. And in his rookie campaign, the former Buckeye lived up to the hype in every way imaginable, setting records along the way while helping Washington reach the Playoffs with a defense that led the NFL by the end of the 2020 season.

But after the outstanding rookie season where Chase Young had solidified himself as a clear leader of the team, nearly everyone involved with the organization was surprised when he didn’t choose to attend voluntary offseason workouts, while roughly 90 percent of the squad showed up.

For Ron Rivera, considering the impact Young has on his teammates and the culture Washington is attempting to build, the move clearly rubbed many the wrong way.

But in a recent conversation with reporters, the Commanders’ head coach is excited about Young’s mindset entering his third NFL season. For starters, he will be at voluntary workouts which are getting closer and closer.

“In my conversations with him, he said he’s going to be here and I’m pretty excited to see him here,” Rivera said.

A torn ACL ended Young’s season in Week 10 after a lackluster start. He totaled just 1.5 sacks before going down for the season. Head coach Ron Rivera believes that this could lead to Young entering the season with a different mindset

Rivera said 4 Chase Young '21 was "a little bit of an awakening, a little bit of a realization. I appreciate how focused he is; he really is attacking his offseason."
Then:"For us, hopefully the realization we hadn't arrived has set in & that just showing up is not good enough."

— John Keim (@john_keim) March 29, 2022

“I think for Chase, it was a little bit of an awakening, a little bit of a realization,” Rivera said during the NFL annual meetings in Palm Beach, FL on Tuesday.

Chase Young must get back to rookie dominance with comeback in 2022

When a edge defensive end is selected No. 2 overall, he has to make an impact on a weekly basis.

Fortunatley, it appears the former Buckeye bruiser has learned the hard way from a sophomore slump that resulted in injury — and it’s apparent he’s motivated to silence the critics and get back to lead a defense loaded with talent, but needs him to thrive.

Chase Young has won the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award after completing arguably the best rookie season in Washington Football Team history. Young is the first Washington player to win the award, and he finished his first season with 44 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles and four passes defensed — a star on a Washington defensive line that finished sixth in the NFL in sacks (47) and second in yards per game allowed (304.6). Young and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson were the only two rookies to be selected to the Pro Bowl this year.

Young was the standout of his rookie class, leading all rookies in sacks (7.5), tackles for loss (10), pressures (40) and tied for first in forced fumbles (4). His three games with a sack and a forced fumble are the most for a player in Washington franchise history. He had seven games with a full sack, also the most in team history for a rookie. His four forced fumbles are tied for the most for a rookie season in franchise history and his three fumble recoveries are the most for a rookie in team history. Young is also the first player in franchise history to record a fumble return touchdown, a forced fumble and a sack in a game.