Chase Young on the '85 Bears? Washington's Rivera Reveals 'Fit'
"The '85 Chicago Bears.'' In terms of Super Bowl-level defensive play, to many - including Ron Rivera - that's the gold standard.
And at least one player of today in burgundy and gold fits that "gold standard.''
"Could he have? Oh, yeah," Rivera said of Chase Young, the Washington Football Team's defense stud, when asked if he's '85-Bears-worthy. "I think he's a guy that, 'This is what the future of football is going to look like.''
That makes Young the future ... and a fit in the past.
Rivera, the WFT coach, spent nine seasons at linebacker for those Bears, who won Super Bowl XX. Different eras are, well ... different. But some things to translate over the years.
Young last season won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, with 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and three fumble returns - one for a touchdown. He became a force as Washington's defense pushed the franchise to its first NFC East title since 2015.
READ MORE: Rivera Mic'd Up - But Here's What Coach Won't Say
Rivera said his Washington roster actually boasts other guys who might qualify, too.
"We have several guys that would have fit in very nicely with that group of men. (Young) really would have. There are certain guys, that in their era, they were great. I believe that. And a few of them can transcend and come to another era and been great there, too.
And we've got a few of those guys, too. We're really fortunate to have those kind of players on this team right now."
READ MORE: Washington's Latest Roster Moves