Alabama quarterback Bryce Young hasn’t announced his intentions for his football future. But that hasn’t stopped former Alabama players from giving their opinion on what the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner should do. Former pass rusher extraordinaire Tim Williams tweeted that Young should stay for another season because he will hasn’t led the team to a national championship like his predecessors, AJ McCarron, Jake Coker, Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, and Mac Jones.
“He needs to show he can win a ring under heavy pressure like the QBs before him. He’s gonna make millions no doubt, rather he leaves this year or next. But to be a winning QB AT THE NEXT LEVEL. You gotta show your GRIT AND GUTS to try to win a ring. Come back on Bane sh*t”
Bryce Young Doesn’t Need Another Ring
That’s safe for Williams to say because he’s not a QB. One injury in college could derail Young’s entire career. Also he doesn’t need to win a national title as a starter to validate his Alabama career.
He was the backup on the 2020 title team, so he will leave school with at least one championship ring.
What’s crazy is Williams isn’t the only former Crimson Tide player to say this.
Tide nation is evenly split on whether Bryce Young should come back for his senior year 😮 pic.twitter.com/TCfXigrRJw
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) December 12, 2022
Former Alabama Running Back Trent Richardson Agrees With Williams
Alabama’s chances of winning a national title next season decrease significantly once Young walks off the Tuscaloosa campus. You can see why former players wouldn’t mind seeing the dynamic gunslinger return for one more run.
NIL Changed The Game
Earlier this week on “The Developmental Focus Points” show, former Crimson Tide star Trent Richardson says he might have done things differently if the opportunity to make money was the same when he was playing.
“If I was him, Bryce Young, especially with the NIL and stuff they have now, when I was in school, I had no choice,” Richardson said. “You heard guys like me and others say, ‘Man, I’m three and out.’ That was a different mindset we had. You don’t hear guys like that anymore. They are enjoying the whole process. If I was him, I would not leave because I don’t have that national championship on my own. I don’t have a national championship as the head guy yet, and then the league is not going anywhere. Why would you leave? You still have work to do. I’m telling you, those guys don’t see it and don’t get it. It is not family oriented at the next level. They are business, and when they get to the business side of something you love to do it becomes work. It becomes this is not what I thought it would be. I would not be able to leave if I did not win a national championship.”
Richardson’s reasoning doesn’t carry much weight, much like what the aforementioned Williams said, because Young returning doesn’t guarantee him leading the team to a national championship.
The 2022 team was supposed to be title-ready and they didn’t even make the College Football Playoffs after a three-point loss at Tennessee, and a one-point loss at LSU.
Former Alabama LB Tim Williams says Bryce Young needs a ring like the other former Alabama QBs before he leaves Tuscaloosa. pic.twitter.com/CdKwgQGZLO
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) December 12, 2022
Bryce Young Graduated, Should Go To NFL Now
Having won every award on the circuit, including the Heisman, Young is easily one of the most accomplished players in school history. Over 8,000 yards passing yards rank him second all-time. His 75 touchdowns passes rank third all-time in program history.
Last Friday he graduated with his bachelor’s degree in psychology in just three years.
Nice shot of @_bryce_young after receiving his diploma in Coleman Coliseum this morning. @YoungCJB looks quite proud of his son. Awesome. pic.twitter.com/PZ8SPKz0GI
— Brett Greenberg (@BrettGreenberg_) December 10, 2022
And with him ranked as the top prospect on most draft boards, he needs to go pro now. If he stays one more season he’ll be competing with reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams and UNC gunslinger Drake Maye for the No. 1 overall pick next year.
