Darryl Talley is a two-time Pro Bowl linebacker who played 14 seasons in the NFL. He was a second-round pick by the Bills out of West Virginia and was a core member of their early-90s team that went to four straight Super Bowls. He is the franchise’s all-time leading tackler, and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. One would figure such a resume would result in respect from a fellow football player, but that’s not how Talley perceived his meeting with quarterback Vince Young.
Talley, who lives in Orlando, must have been in Miami when he ran into Young. Here’s what the former linebacker tweeted Saturday evening “Just ran into Vince Young. Had no idea who I am. Not ok.” Talley then added, “Hey young fellas. Know ur football history. It’s called respect. Also will make u a better ball player.”
Apparently Talley wasn’t only upset with the lack of respect shown to him by Young, but the lack of appreciation in a business sense. “Be respectful of those who came before you & demanded changes so u could colect the check ur getting” he later wrote on his twitter account. Word must have gotten back to Vince Young that Talley felt slighted by the former Titan, so Vince contact Talley to say he knew who he was. Apparently that upset Darryl even more because if Vince knew who he was, he should have acted more appropriately.
I wasn’t around for the meeting and I obviously don’t know what went down, but either way VY comes across looking badly. If he knew who Talley was and didn’t show much respect, that’s poor form, and it’s even worse if he didn’t even know who Talley was. Like I said, I don’t know what went on, but this fits pretty consistently with the character issues Young has that have been called into question.
