- In full:
- Jon Steven Young
- Born:
- October 11, 1961, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. (age 65)
- Awards And Honors:
- All-America team
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (2005)
Steve Young
News •
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Who is Steve Young?
Steve Young, born on October 11, 1961, in Salt Lake City, Utah, is known as one of the most accurate quarterbacks in NFL history. In 1987, Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers.
Young became the starting quarterback for the 49ers in 1991 after an injury sidelined Joe Montana. From 1991 to 1994, he led the NFL in passing, earning MVP honors in 1992 and 1994. In 1995, Young helped the San Francisco 49ers win Super Bowl XXIX and was named MVP of the game. When he retired in 1999, Young had a career passer rating of 96.8. After retiring, he became a sports analyst.
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What position did Steve Young play in football?
Steve Young played quarterback in the NFL. He began as a backup for the San Francisco 49ers in 1987, later becoming their starting quarterback in 1991 when Joe Montana was injured. From 1991 to 1994, Young led the NFL in passing and was named league MVP in 1992 and 1994. In 1995, he led the 49ers to a Super Bowl XXIX victory over the San Diego Chargers and was named the Super Bowl MVP. Young retired in 1999 and became a sports analyst.
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For which NFL team is Steve Young best known?
Steve Young is best known for his time with the San Francisco 49ers. He was traded to the 49ers in 1987 and initially served as a backup to Joe Montana.
Young became the starting quarterback in 1991 when Montana was sidelined due to an elbow injury. From 1991 to 1994, he led the NFL in passing and earned the league MVP award in 1992 and 1994. In 1995, Young led the 49ers to victory in Super Bowl XXIX, earning the game's MVP award. He retired in 1999 with a career passer rating of 96.8.
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What made Steve Young special as a quarterback?
Steve Young is considered one of the most accurate quarterbacks in NFL history. From 1991 to 1994, Young led the NFL in passing, earning league MVP honors in 1992 and 1994. In 1994, he finished the season with a 112.8 passer rating, on a scale where 100 was meant to be the realistic maximum. He also led the league in yards per pass attempt, averaging 8.7 yards every time he released the ball. In 1995, he helped the San Francisco 49ers win Super Bowl XXIX and was named MVP of the game after throwing a record-setting six touchdowns. When Young retired in 1999, he had a career passer rating of 96.8.
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Which major awards did Steve Young win during his career?
Steve Young, celebrated as one of the NFL's most accurate quarterbacks, secured several major awards throughout his career. In 1992 and 1994, he earned the league MVP title. In 1995, he led the San Francisco 49ers to victory in Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers. During that game, Young set a Super Bowl record with six touchdowns, earning him the Super Bowl MVP award. In 1997, Young led the 49ers to the National Football Conference (NFC) championship game, and he was selected to his seventh Pro Bowl two years later.
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How did Steve Young's playing style influence the game of football?
Steve Young, renowned as one of the NFL's most accurate quarterbacks, significantly impacted football through his exceptional passing abilities and leadership. Taking over as the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback in 1991, he consistently topped the league in passing from 1991 to 1994, achieving MVP status in 1992 and 1994.
Young's remarkable 1994 season saw him reach a 112.8 passer rating, surpassing the scale's realistic maximum of 100. Additionally, he led the league in yards per pass attempt, averaging 8.7 yards per throw. In Super Bowl XXIX in 1995, he set a record with six touchdowns, earning the game's MVP award. His career passer rating upon retirement in 1999 was 96.8.
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Steve Young (born October 11, 1961, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.) is a former gridiron football player who is considered one of the most accurate quarterbacks in NFL history. In 1995 Young helped the San Francisco 49ers win Super Bowl XXIX and was named MVP of the game. After retiring in 1999, he became a sports analyst.
Family and college
Young was raised in Connecticut, where he was all-state in football and baseball at Greenwich High School. He was the great-great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, an early leader of the Mormon church, and he later attended Brigham Young University, where he earned a law degree in 1994. Young broke 13 national college records, including his .713 completion percentage in 1983, when he was recognized as one of the top five student athletes in the United States.
Pro career
Los Angeles Express and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Cincinnati Bengals intended to make Young the first pick of the 1984 NFL draft, but Young accepted a $40-million-dollar deal (the richest contract in team sports history at the time) with the Los Angeles Express of the short-lived United States Football League (USFL). In two seasons with a bad team, he completed only 56.4 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. He bought out his contract with the Express after the spring season of 1985, but his NFL rights belonged to the equally hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the two seasons there, Young had a .533 completion rate, throwing 11 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.
San Francisco 49ers
In 1987 the 6-foot 2-inch (1.88-meter) Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, where he worked as a backup to future NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana. When an elbow injury sidelined Montana in 1991, Young became the starting quarterback for the 49ers. From 1991 to 1994, Young led the NFL in passing, earning league most valuable player (MVP) honors in 1992 and 1994. He finished the 1994 season with a 112.8 passer rating, a mark he achieved on a scale where 100 was meant to be the realistic maximum. He also led the league in yards per pass attempt, averaging a gain of 8.7 yards every time he released the ball. He capped this extraordinary run by leading the 49ers to victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX in 1995. Young threw a record-setting six touchdowns in a 24-for-36 performance that earned him recognition as the gameâs MVP.
In 1997 Young led the team to the National Football Conference (NFC) championship game, and two years later he was selected to his seventh Pro Bowl. When he retired in 1999, Young had a career passer rating of 96.8.
Later activities
Young subsequently was an analyst for a number of sports programs, and he also worked as a motivational speaker. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. Youngâs memoir, QB: My Life Behind the Spiral (written with Jeff Benedict), was published in 2016.