Salute to a Great Warrior

Defensive end Bryant Young was having a great season coming into Sunday's game against Seattle.  He was leading the 49er defensive linemen with 34 tackles and was ranked among the league leaders in with eight sacks.  He looked like he was going to make to the Pro Bowl in February, his fifth.

When he suffered the injury on Sunday, at first I thought it was all over for him and the 49ers.  Then he stood up and limped off the field.  I marveled at his toughness.  If our entire 49er team displayed that amount of courage and pride every play, I might be able to stomach Dr York and his six VPs.  Might be able…..

Bryant Young was injured in the second quarter when he was tackling Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander.  As he was wrapping up, his right leg got rolled as a pile of bodies fell on him.  On Monday, we found out that Young suffered tears to his medial-collateral ligament as well as his meniscus cartilage in his right knee.

As he was leaving the field on Sunday, Young, a 12-year veteran and the team's last link to their 1994 Super Bowl title, received a tremendous ovation from the crowd.  "It was really humbling to experience that," Young said. "I'm really grateful for the fans we have and the years I've been here. I couldn't believe that. It's like, 'Wow, that's for me?' It was good to hear that when you have the crowd behind you."

His loss from the team is a great blow to an already depleted defense.  Yet the great Warrior remains optimistic, declaring, “I'm going to attack this rehab the best I can." 

If he is not giving up on the season, neither will I.