On Monday, new San Francisco 49ers defensive end Chase Young finally joined his teammates on the practice field. Just last week, the team sent a 2024 compensatory third-round pick to the Washington Commanders in exchange for the talented pass rusher.
A look at new #49ers DE Chase Young in his first practice in San Francisco. pic.twitter.com/EZxaIjh6KO
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) November 6, 2023
Following the practice session, Young made his way to the podium to address reporters, marking his first public statement since the trade. This offered the media a valuable opportunity to gain insight into the defender's experience of transitioning to a new team.
Young didn't get a heads-up that he was about to be traded. Instead, he learned of the move via social media, much like everyone else.
"Heard my name in a lot of things, me and [DE Montez] Sweat, but that's just something you can't really focus on," Young said. "It's a part of the business, and my job is just to play ball, and that's what I'm going to continue to focus on doing."
When asked about his initial reaction upon learning he was headed to the 49ers, Young calmly responded, "I wasn't mad."
That's because he had watched the 49ers for years and was well aware of the recent success the team has enjoyed. With three NFC Championship Game appearances in the last four seasons, he had no reservations about joining a squad firmly in the Super Bowl conversation, despite recent losses.
"Just the culture, the vibe is a lot different," Young emphasized. "I definitely know that I'm in the building with winners."
He finds the expectation to compete for a championship exhilarating, remarking, "It's definitely exciting. Definitely gives me another amount of motivation just to go out and do my best and play every play like it's my last."
Despite being with the team for less than a week, Young has noticed a distinctive approach to the game's intricacies.
"Just the players, the spirit in the locker room, the spirit of the coaches, it's just different," Young explained. "It's like kind of that same thing at Ohio State, where it's like you're expected to win, and it's just like that vibe of we're going to win. It definitely reminds me, not Ohio State, but obviously, it's the NFL. These are grown men. So I'm just excited to be blessed with the opportunity to be with this franchise."
He has spent the last week absorbing the 49ers playbook, trying to get up to speed quickly.
"I see why they win," Young shared. "Just the details of each play. The details of my assignment are much more greater, so I see why they win."
One of the highlights for Young has been reuniting with former Ohio State teammate Nick Bosa. Describing their relationship, Young said, "Nick is here; always been a big brother to me, even at Ohio State."
Bosa reached out to Young within minutes of hearing about the trade.
"It was a good moment," Young noted. "Even in college, we never thought that we would ever be able to play with each other again, so it's a blessing."
Looking ahead to their on-field impact, Young anticipates a return to their college dynamic, where it was "a race to the quarterback," adding, "It's going to be real fun; that's all I know."
Regarding his impending free agency after this season, Young emphasized, "I'm not even worried about that right now. I'm just worried about learning this playbook and just being the best player that I can be."
As for his former team, the Commanders, Young maintains a competitive spirit and has no bitterness about how things turned out, stating, "God has a plan. I know who I am. I'm a competitor. I'm going to compete. I don't know what they're doing over there. That's over my head. I'm just going to be Chase Young, and I'm going to compete the best I can."
