NASHVILLE, TENN. (AP) - NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday he has decided not to suspend Titans quarterback Vince Young over a tussle at a Dallas strip club in June.
Speaking to reporters after the Packers’ shareholders meeting in Green Bay, Wis., Goodell said he met with Young earlier this week.
“And at this stage, based on the facts that we have, I see no reason for any kind of disciplinary action. I did have a good conversation with Vince, however, about his responsibility as an NFL player. He needs to avoid putting himself in that kind of position,” Goodell said.
Young was given a misdemeanor assault citation after a fight last month that was caught on surveillance video. He quickly apologized and said he hoped he wouldn’t be suspended because he owned up to his mistake.
“I pray to God that Roger Goodell doesn’t come down hard on me because I definitely want to be here for my teammates,” Young said a day after the scuffle.
The video footage released by Dallas police showed the quarterback and several people talking in a small room before Young went after someone in the small room at Club Onyx. He was cited for misdemeanor assault after meeting with police hours later in Dallas. He had left the club before authorities arrived.
Young said the person who provoked him made a downward Longhorns sign that was disrespectful to the quarterback, who attended the University of Texas. Young said more went on but refused to go into further details.
Goodell’s decision was a piece of good news for the Titans, who report Friday for training camp. Coach Jeff Fisher lost his running backs coach last weekend when Kennedy Pola bolted for Southern California at the invitation of coach Lane Kiffin, prompting the Titans to sue the university and Kiffin on Monday for poaching the assistant.
Young is going into his fifth NFL season with a 26-13 career record, and he is coming off a personal best 82.8 passer rating in 2009.
___
AP Sports Writer Chris Jenkins in Green Bay, Wis., contributed to this report.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.