Chase Young thrilled to be a part of the 49ers culture ‘I see why they win’

Nov 6, 2023, 3:26 PM | Updated: 3:51 pm

Chase Young #99 of the Washington Commanders walks off the field after the game against the Philade...

Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

San Francisco 49ers Beat Writer

Sometimes situations have a way of working themselves out. Case in point: Chase Young becoming a Niner.

The newly-acquired San Francisco 49ers defensive end spoke to the Bay Area media for the first time Monday. Among the many topics discussed, Young revealed he also learned about the trade via social media and he was getting his Week 9 preparation in with the Washington Commanders before he got the call.

But after the initial shock faded, the pass rusher thought about what had happened, and a smile emerged.

“I wasn’t mad,” Chase Young said with a chuckle.

The former second-overall pick realized he had become a member of the 49ers, a prestigious organization that had been in big playoff games the last few seasons.

To put a cherry on top, Nick Bosa, his former Ohio State teammate, is also on the team. Now reunited with his former Buckeye, Young quickly came around to moving cross-country, seeing firsthand what a successful NFL franchise looks like.

“Nick is here, always been a big brother to me, even at Ohio State. Just stepping in here today, getting here last week, just the culture, the vibe, is a lot different. I definitely know that I’m in a building with winners,” Young said.

Chase Young and Nick Bosa are reunited 😁 pic.twitter.com/Yu8jdP0Bfj

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) November 6, 2023

The colligate tandem seemed to pick up right where they left off in Ohio Monday, working alongside one another as Young learned the 49ers’ ways throughout practice. But talent is something you can’t teach, a component the pair have in spades.

In two seasons together, Bosa and Young combined for 26.5 sacks on the Buckeyes. After that, Bosa got drafted by the 49ers in 2019, while Young stayed behind for one more year in college. Believing they’d never get a chance to do it again, this trade makes that so special, uplifting both men the same.

“I think it’s going to be just like college, a race to the quarterback,” Young said. “I think we definitely speak the same language, in terms of pass rush.”

But the trade is also big for the 24-year-old for other reasons, mainly a fresh start.

Drafted by the Washington Football Team in 2020, Chase Young had a promising rookie season at 7.5 sacks. But, that promise quickly dwindled when he blew out his knee halfway through the next season. Barred by recovery the next year and a half, the Maryland native had to work his way back to 100%. Meanwhile, Washington continued to stay in turmoil, moving off coaches, front-office executives and even an owner, in the last few seasons.

Now with that firmly behind him, Chase Young is focused on playing his best football with no distractions, something that a good foundation can springboard.

“The players, spirit in the locker room. Spirit of the coaches. It’s just different. It’s kind of that same thing at Ohio State where you’re expected to win,” he added.

Young felt the love from outside the building as well, something he wasn’t accustomed to in The Nation’s Capitol.

“All love from everybody. Everybody in the media, everybody in the training room, all the coaches, [49ers general manager John Lynch], everybody. So, it definitely makes me feel good, and anxious to get on the field,” he said.

But when asked what stuck out the most upon arrival, Young, like most new 49ers recruits, only had one word to describe the drastic change.

“Culture. I see why they win,” he stated. “The details of each play, the details of each assignment are much greater. I see why they win.”