49ers' Chase Young downplays revenge game vs. Commanders: 'At the end of the day, it's just playing ball'

Chase Young faces his former team on Sunday as the San Francisco 49ers travel to D.C. to take on the Washington Commanders.

The Niners acquired Young from Washington at the trade deadline in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick less than four years after making him the No. 2 overall selection in 2020. Young downplayed any animosity or bad blood lingering.

"It's going to be fun," Young said this week, via The Associated Press. "At the end of the day, it's just playing ball. What happens between those white lines will determine the outcome."

Young's former club has been eliminated from playoff contention, slipping to 4-11 on the season. Washington has gone 1-6 since they shipped out Young and fellow pass rusher Montez Sweat at the trade deadline. Still, Young knows his former team, led by Ron Rivera, will battle.

"They're definitely a team who's going to fight to the end," Young said. "I do know that. So we just got to come out good."

While Young downplayed the #RevengeGame, his teammates indicated otherwise.

"This week is a huge one for him," Nick Bosa said. "He's already pretty hyped up about it and excited, so we're going to try and play our best game for him."

Playing fewer snaps in San Francisco's rotation, Young has 2.5 sacks and one tackle for loss in seven games with the Niners after earning 5.0 sacks and six TFL in seven games with Washington. Young had 40 QB pressures in Weeks 1-8, per Next Gen Stats, fifth-most in the NFL, despite missing Week 1. In Weeks 10-16, he earned 25 QBP.