Chase Young is an American football defensive end for the New Orleans Saints. He played college football at Ohio State, where he had a standout junior year in 2019. That season, he set a school record for sacks in a single season with 16.5, earned unanimous All-American honors, and received multiple defensive player of the year awards. Notably, he was also named Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year and became a Heisman Trophy finalist, a rare feat for a defensive player.
1982: Heisman Trophy Finalist and Big Ten Athlete of the Year
Chase Young became the ninth defensive player since 1982 to be nominated for the Heisman Trophy, finishing fourth in the voting. He was also voted the Big Ten Jesse Owens Athlete of the Year, recognizing the top male athlete in the Big Ten conference. This made him the seventh football player and the first since Ron Dayne in 2000 to receive this honor.
April 14, 1999: Chase Young Born
Chase Young was born in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, on April 14, 1999.
1999: Historic Performance Against the 49ers
Chase Young achieved a historic feat in a Week 14 game against the San Francisco 49ers in 1999. He recorded a sack, two passes defended, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery which he returned for a 47-yard touchdown, becoming the first rookie in NFL history and only the third player since 1999 to accomplish all of this in a single game.
2000: Ron Dayne Wins Big Ten Athlete of the Year
Ron Dayne, a football player, was the last player before Chase Young to win the Big Ten Jesse Owens Athlete of the Year in 2000.
2007: Ohio State Single-Season Sack Record Broken
Chase Young's 16.5 sacks in the 2019 season surpassed the previous single-season school record of 14 sacks set by Vernon Gholston in 2007.
2013: Chase Young Starts High School Football Journey
In 2013, Chase Young began his high school football journey at St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel, Maryland. He initially played as a quarterback, tight end, and outside linebacker before transitioning primarily to defensive end.
2014: High School Championship and Musical Talent
Chase Young and his team won the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association C-conference championship in 2014. He also showcased his musical talent as a member of the school's choir, playing the piano, saxophone, and violin.
2015: Transfer to DeMatha Catholic High School and Championship Win
Chase Young transferred to DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland, in 2015. His impressive performance with 19 quarterback sacks and 27 tackles for loss contributed to the team's victory in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) championship.
July 2016: MVP at The Opening
In July 2016, Chase Young participated in The Opening, a Nike-sponsored college football recruiting camp. He was named MVP at his position.
2016: National Recognition and All-Star Games
Chase Young gained national recognition as one of the best high school football players in the country. He was included on the 2016 USA Today All-USA team and named all-metropolitan defensive football player of the year by The Washington Post. He also participated in the International Bowl and All-American Bowl.
2017: Freshman Season at Ohio State
Chase Young recorded 3.5 sacks, 18 tackles, and a forced fumble during his freshman year at Ohio State in 2017.
2017: Basketball Teammate Markelle Fultz Drafted First Overall in NBA
Chase Young's high school basketball teammate, Markelle Fultz, was selected first overall in the 2017 NBA draft. Both Young and Fultz had aspirations of becoming the first overall selections in their respective sports.
2018: Sophomore Season and Ankle Injury
In his sophomore year at Ohio State, Chase Young became a starter and achieved 10.5 sacks despite spraining both ankles midway through the season. Three of these sacks came against Northwestern in the 2018 Big Ten Football Championship Game. He earned second-team All-Big Ten recognition for his performance.
November 2019: NCAA Suspension and Return to Dominance
In November 2019, Chase Young was suspended for two games by the NCAA for accepting an unauthorized loan from a family friend to allegedly help his girlfriend attend the 2019 Rose Bowl, which he later repaid in full. Following his reinstatement, Young returned with a dominant performance, recording three sacks against Penn State. He finished the season with an impressive 16.5 sacks, 46 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 7 forced fumbles, 3 pass deflections, and a blocked field goal.
2019: Breakthrough Season for Chase Young at Ohio State
During his junior season in 2019 at Ohio State, Chase Young broke the school's single-season sack record with 16.5. He received unanimous All-American honors and won several defensive player of the year awards. Additionally, he was named Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year and was a Heisman Trophy finalist.
2019: All-American Honors and Numerous Awards
In addition to being unanimously named to the 2019 College Football All-America Team, Chase Young received numerous awards and honors, including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Ted Hendricks Award, Chicago Tribune Silver Football, Nagurski–Woodson Defensive Player of the Year, and Smith–Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, and Heisman Trophy.
July 23, 2020: Signing with the Washington Redskins
Chase Young was selected second overall by the Washington Redskins in the 2020 NFL Draft. On July 23, 2020, he signed his four-year rookie contract, valued at US$34.56 million.
December 2020: Team Captain and Defensive Player of the Month
In December 2020, Chase Young was named a team captain and earned NFC Defensive Player of the Month honors, a first for a rookie in Washington's history.
2020: Entering the NFL Draft
Chase Young decided to forgo his senior year at Ohio State and declare for the 2020 NFL Draft. He was widely regarded as the top prospect in the draft by media analysts. Although he attended the NFL Combine, he opted not to participate in any workouts or drills, stating that he didn't want to waste time being a "combine athlete." Young was among the 58 players invited to the draft, which was held virtually due to COVID-19 social distancing regulations.
2020: Chase Young Drafted into NFL
Chase Young declared for the 2020 NFL draft and was selected second overall by the Washington Redskins. He was widely considered the best overall prospect in the draft.
2021: Disappointing Season and Knee Injury
Chase Young's 2021 season was considered a disappointment as he recorded only 1.5 sacks before suffering a major knee injury. This injury led to a lengthy recovery that caused him to miss most of the 2022 season as well.
2021: Season-Ending Injury
In 2021, Chase Young had 21 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles before tearing his ACL and patellar tendon in his right knee during Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
2021: Awards and Recognition
Chase Young received multiple awards and recognitions in 2021. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press and Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). He was also the only rookie selected to the PFWA's all-conference team. Young was one of just two rookies, along with Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings, named to the 2021 Pro Bowl. He was also nominated for the Best Breakthrough Athlete Award at the 2021 ESPYs, which was ultimately awarded to NBA player LaMelo Ball. Additionally, he ranked 61st on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021 list.
2021: Guest Vocals on "Fire & Ice"
Chase Young performed guest vocals on "Fire & Ice", a track from Wale's 2021 album Folarin II.
November 21, 2022: Return to Active Roster
Chase Young returned to the active roster on November 21, 2022 after being placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp.
2022: Continued Recovery from Knee Injury
Chase Young continued to recover from his knee injury throughout the 2022 season, missing the majority of the season.
2022: Honorary Pace Car Driver
Chase Young was the honorary pace car driver for the 2022 Federated Auto Parts 400 NASCAR Cup Series race.
November 1, 2023: Trade to the 49ers
On November 1, 2023, Chase Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
2023: Klutch Athletics Ambassador
In 2023, Chase Young became the football ambassador for Klutch Athletics, a sportswear brand formed in partnership with New Balance.
2023: Trade to San Francisco and Super Bowl Appearance
In 2023, Chase Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers mid-season. He recorded a sack in Super Bowl LVIII.
2023: Fifth-Year Option Declined
The Washington team declined Chase Young's fifth-year rookie contract option before the 2023 season.
March 18, 2024: Signing with the Saints and Neck Surgery
Chase Young signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints on March 18, 2024, and underwent neck surgery the following day, likely causing him to miss part of training camp.