With lofty expectations surrounding him, Bryce Young's early struggles in the NFL have drawn comparisons to one of the league’s most infamous draft busts, Ryan Leaf. Leaf, who was selected second overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1998 NFL Draft, had a career that quickly spiraled out of control, and many are wondering if Young is headed down a similar path.
Ryan Leaf's tenure with the Chargers was marred by poor performance, off-field issues, and injuries. In his rookie season, he managed to complete just 45.3% of his passes, throwing two touchdowns against 15 interceptions. His tumultuous time with the Chargers included a well-publicized outburst at a reporter, and a shoulder surgery that caused him to miss an entire season. By the end of the 2000 season, the Chargers decided to release him, concluding his stint with a 4-17 record as a starter. Over his 25 games in San Diego, Leaf completed a mere 48.4% of his passes, with 14 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. Despite his potential, Leaf was out of the NFL by 2001.
Drawing parallels to Young, the rookie quarterback has had a tough start to his NFL career. Through his first two games, Young has completed 55.4% of his passes for a total of 245 yards, with no touchdowns and three interceptions. Additionally, he has been sacked six times, and his passer rating stands at a dismal 44.1. In one of his first outings, he completed eight out of ten passes for 22 yards with an interception, resulting in a passer rating of 39.6 for the first half. Another game saw him completing six of 12 passes for 50 yards with another interception, resulting in an even lower passer rating of 26.4.
Recently, Ryan Leaf himself weighed in on the challenges faced by quarterbacks like Young. Critical of how organizations handle their rookie quarterbacks, Leaf stated, “They screwed this thing up from the get-go, though. I mean, this organization is horrible. This organization has done nothing to try to help and develop a player that has so much expectation on him. And so, I laid this at the feet of the organization completely.” His comments highlight a concern that poor organizational support can heavily impact a young quarterback’s career trajectory.
Leaf also touched on the difficulty of leading an NFL team as a young quarterback, saying, “There's no one in that locker room that seemingly feels that way. And that is a hard place to be as a leader of men when you're 22, 23 years old.” His words resonate with the current situation surrounding Bryce Young, who, much like Leaf, is navigating the pressures of high expectations in a challenging environment.
The early stages of Young's career may have sparked concerns among fans and analysts, but it's vital to consider that many quarterbacks face initial hurdles before finding their stride. The comparisons to Leaf could serve as a cautionary tale, urging teams to provide better support and development for their young quarterbacks. The hope is that with the right guidance and system in place, Bryce Young can overcome these early difficulties and carve out a successful career, avoiding the pitfalls that marked Ryan Leaf's infamous journey in the NFL.