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{{other people|Steve Young|Steve Young (disambiguation)}}
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{{BLP sources|date=August 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
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'''Jon Steven Young''' (born October 11, 1961) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] [[quarterback]] who played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for 15 seasons, most notably with the [[San Francisco 49ers]]. He was drafted by and played for the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]. Prior to his NFL career, Young was a member of the [[Los Angeles Express (USFL)|Los Angeles Express]] in the [[United States Football League]] (USFL) for two seasons. He played [[college football]] for the [[BYU Cougars football|BYU Cougars]], setting school and NCAA records en route to being runner-up for the 1983 [[Heisman Trophy]].
Young was named the AP's [[NFL Most Valuable Player]] in [[1992 NFL season|1992]] and [[1994 NFL season|1994]], and was the MVP of [[Super Bowl XXIX]] where he led the 49ers to a victory over the [[San Diego Chargers]] with a record six touchdown passes. During his 1994 MVP campaign, Young set a new NFL record for passer rating at 112.8.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pfref.com/tiny/niHv9|title=Passer rating seasons, 110+, 150 att|work=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=January 4, 2017}}</ref> He is a member of the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] and the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]].
Young was an extremely efficient passer, leading the league in [[passer rating]] a record six times and completion percentage and yards per attempt five times.<ref name=pfrleader>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/Y/YounSt00.htm#all_leaderboard|title=Steve Young Stats: Leaderboards|work=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] |publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=January 4, 2017}}</ref> At the time of his retirement, Young had the highest passer rating among NFL quarterbacks with at least 1,500 passing attempts (96.8). Currently, he is ranked fourteenth all time in passer rating, and is ranked fourth-highest amongst retired players, behind only [[Drew Brees]], [[Tom Brady]], and [[Tony Romo]].<ref name="passrtgall">{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_rating_career.htm | title=NFL Passer Rating Career Leaders | website=[[Pro-Football-Reference.com]] | access-date=September 30, 2022}}</ref>
==Early life==
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Despite a roster which included such future NFL players as [[Jojo Townsell]], [[Mel Gray (return specialist)|Mel Gray]], and [[Kevin Nelson (American football)|Kevin Nelson]], and making the Western Conference title game in Young's first season, the Express were never able to create a sustaining fan base in [[Los Angeles]]. They often played to sparse crowds that looked even more so in the 95,000-seat [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]].
Before the Express' final home game — which had been moved to [[Los Angeles Pierce College]] in the San Fernando Valley — the bus driver refused to leave unless he was paid up front, in cash. Young contributed some money, as did the team trainer, and the driver took them to the game. In the season finale at [[Orlando Renegades|Orlando]], Young had to line up at tailback because
It was reported that Young had insured his contract and would still be paid until 2027.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1825502-steve-young-will-make-1-million-in-2014-from-usfl-deal-signed-in-1984 | title=Steve Young Will Make $1 Million in 2014 from USFL Deal Signed in 1984 | first=Tim | last=Keeney | date=October 25, 2013 | website=[[Bleacher Report]]}}</ref> However, facing the prospect of both a faltering owner and an unstable league, Young had already renegotiated his 10-year deal down to 4 years, and had already collected a total of $4.8 million of the $5.8 million due in toto through the final year of that deal (in 1987), working out to an annual rate of pay of $2.4 million for his first two seasons that was the highest in all of American sports.{{efn|Three Major League Baseball players, Mike Schmidt, Ozzie Smith and Dave Winfield, were next at $2.1 million annually.<ref name=LAT>{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-08-10-sp-3859-story.html | title=USFL Confirms Young Is Highest-Paid Player at $2.4 Million a Year | first=Bob | last=Oates | date=August 10, 1985 | work=[[Los Angeles Times]] | access-date=December 27, 2019}}</ref>}} Included in that negotiation was a payment of $1.4 million for the balance of the 10-year annuity (less money paid out against it), and salaries for the remaining two years of the deal "in excess of $450,000" annually according the USFL Commissioner then overseeing the LA Express (which had fallen into receivership).<ref name=LAT/>
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====1994 season: Second MVP and Super Bowl win====
After several key free agent signings (including All-Pro cornerback [[Deion Sanders]]) and [[NFL draft]] selections, the 49ers looked to win their first Super Bowl since [[1989 NFL season|1989]]. They started fast, beating the [[1994 Los Angeles Raiders season|Los Angeles Raiders]] 44–14 on the strength of four touchdown passes from Young, one of four games during the regular season in which he had at least four.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Los Angeles Raiders at San Francisco 49ers - September 5th, 1994 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199409050sfo.htm |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> After a loss in a much-anticipated game to Joe Montana and the [[1994 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs - September 11th, 1994 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199409110kan.htm |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> the 49ers won their next two games before losing to the [[1994 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]] 40–8 at Candlestick Park, a game in which Young was eventually benched in the middle of an offensive series. Although head coach George Seifert later said he only pulled Young because he was getting manhandled by the Eagles' defense, Young had had enough of being scapegoated for 49er shortfalls and loudly (and visibly) lambasted Seifert over his decision while standing on the sideline during the game.
{{quote box|quote="Is this great or what? I mean, I haven't thrown six touchdown passes in a game in my life. Then I throw six in the Super Bowl! Unbelievable."|source=Steve Young<ref>{{cite news |first= Rick |last=Telander |work=Sports Illustrated's Super Bowl Archive
|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/features/superbowl/archives/29/ | title=Superb! |date= February 6, 1995 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040312052229/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/features/superbowl/archives/29/|archive-date=March 12, 2004 |url-status=dead}}</ref>|width=20%|align=left}}
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But the game was considered a turning point in the season; from there, Young led the team to 10 consecutive wins, by an average of 20 points, before losing the meaningless finale against the Vikings in which Young completed his first 12 of 13 attempts before going to the sidelines. They finished an NFL best 13–3, securing home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. The 49ers had the number-one offense in the NFL, and were so dominant that Seifert often took Young out of games early if he felt that the 49ers had an insurmountable lead at the time.
After an easy 44–15 victory over the [[1994 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] in the Divisional Round,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers - January 7th, 1995 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501070sfo.htm |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> the 49ers jumped out to a 31–14 halftime lead over the [[1994 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]] in the [[1994–95 NFL playoffs#NFC Championship: San Francisco 49ers 38, Dallas Cowboys 28|NFC Championship Game]], holding on to win 38–28. Young threw for two touchdowns, while adding 47 yards and another touchdown on the ground. As a result, he went to his first Super Bowl as a starting quarterback. The 49ers were heavy favorites to become the first team with five Super Bowl victories.
On the strength of a six-touchdown performance that surpassed the previous Super Bowl record of five, owned by the man Young replaced, Joe Montana, Young was named the MVP of [[Super Bowl XXIX]], as the 49ers defeated the [[1994 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]], 49–26. Young also threw for 325 yards and rushed for 49 yards, making him the first player ever to finish a Super Bowl as the game's leader in both rushing and passing yards.
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! style="background:#ffd700; width:3em;"|[[1992 NFL season|1992]] || [[1992 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]]
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! [[1993 NFL season|1993]] || [[1993 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]]
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! style="background:#ffff00; width:3em;"|[[1994 NFL season|1994]] || style="background:#afe6ba;"|[[1994 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]]
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! [[1995 NFL season|1995]] || [[1995 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]]
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===Records and legacy===
[[File:Steve Young and Michael Irvin.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Young (8) and [[Michael Irvin]] (88) playing in the ESPN Pro Bowl Skills Challenge in 2006]]
Although Young did not become the 49ers' first-string quarterback until his seventh NFL season, and he played a full season only thrice (all consecutively) during his 15-year career, Young had a significant impact on the NFL. A two-time league MVP, he completed 2,667 of 4,149 passes for 33,124 yards and 232 touchdowns, with 107 interceptions, and 43 rushing touchdowns.
;NFL records
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===Broadcasting career===
Young was laid off by ESPN on June 30, 2023, after being a fixture on
==Philanthropy==
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