NFL flop dubbed ‘next Michael Vick’ went bankrupt after earning $35m but now owns thriving business

Vince Young was a dominant force in college football with the Texas Longhorns.

His NFL career did not pan out as expected – but with around $35million in career earnings, he should have been set for life.

Fast forward to 2026 and Young is featured in a new Netflix documentary, UNTOLD: The Testimony of Vince Young.

“I’ve been a man with a lot of people. I know I’ve been working my butt off behind the scenes, clearing up so much mess that I’ve been through, from financial stuff to just me, myself personally. Just been trying to be a better person, period. And at the time, a lot of people were like, man, you should get your story out,” Young told USA TODAY Sports ahead of its release on August 25.

“And I feel like God has blessed me to do it now. And it’s the right time for my kids, as they’re a little bit older. They can understand now, instead of somebody coming and bothering them, now they know how to handle different things.”

Vince Young filed for bankruptcy despite $35m career earnings

A costly love for the Cheesecake Factory and poor investments saw Young file for bankruptcy in his final year in the league.

Young was the first NCAA quarterback to throw for over 3,000 yards and add 1,000 on the ground in a single season.

He intended to return to Texas for a final campaign but his performance in the Rose Bowl, which delivered a first national championship in 36 years for the Longhorns, saw him enter the 2006 Draft.

The Tennessee Titans had seen enough to spend the No. 3 overall pick on the dual-threat passer as 2003 MVP Steve McNair‘s heir apparent.

Young’s playing style drew inevitable comparisons to Michael Vick – and Titans GM Floyd Reese saw plenty of promise.

“Last night I was on my knees praying, he will rewrite the position,” he said.

“This guy physically is such a combination of arms and legs.

“People want to make him out to be a Michael Vick. He’s not that. He’s different.”

After signing a $25million deal, Young showed flashes of potential in his debut season.

He led the Titans from 0-5 to an 8-8 record after being named starter in Week 4 and became the first rookie quarterback ever to rush for 500 yards.

Getty

NFL Weekly Newsletter - SIGN UP!

talkSPORT is your home for NFL in the UK as we launch our biggest year of coverage yet!

2026 promises to be an epic year for NFL on talkSPORT – and we want you to join us for the ride.

MORE INFO & SIGN-UP HERE!

This season will be our biggest ever with live commentary of 90+ games, including behind-the-scenes access to international games and all three London fixtures, plus bumper coverage of Super Bowl 61 at SoFi Stadium.

Exclusive interviews, hard-hitting opinion, latest front-office drama and top breaking news – all delivered straight to your inbox each week.

The former longhorn was named Offensive Rookie of the Year, but later revealed that he considered quitting after losing his enjoyment of the game.

Young made the playoffs in 2007 but a knee injury saw Kerry Collins take his starting job.

He bounced around the league with the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, and Cleveland Browns until 2014.

The former Titan filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy that year.

“Court documents showed that Young listed assets between $500,001 and $1million alongside debt between $1,001,000 and $10million,” Sports Illustrated reported in 2017.

Getty

Young had an infamous love for the Cheesecake Factory, with Sportscasting claiming that he spent $5,000 a week at the restaurant.

He once racked up a $15,000 bill in one sitting.

“Most I ever spent on a meal in my life,” Young told Sports Illustrated.

Young trusted his finances to advisors – admitting that he never paid attention to them during his career.

Speaking to Colin Cowherd, he once revealed that his main advice to up-and-coming stars was to get their “foundation” right off the field.

“Make sure you got the right people in your corner that don’t want nothing from you but to see you prosper and be successful,” Young said.

Young failed to revive his NFL career but did play one final season with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2017.

@vysteakhouse X

More importantly, the 43-year-old managed to turn around his life off the field after hiring a new financial advisor – friend and mentor Shawn Abboud.

Young returned to Texas and completed a degree applied learning and development, as well as taking on a role as an ambassador for the school and broadcaster on the Longhorn Network.

After being fired by his alma-matter in 2019, he was re-hired as a special assistant in the athletic department.

Young also partnered in a trucking business and real-estate firm, while keeping hold of a restaurant in his hometown of Austin, Texas.

The Vince Young Steakhouse is still going strong 14 years after opening – one of several contributions Young has made to the Lone Star State.