Steve Young’s move to the San Francisco 49ers in 1987 eventually led to a Hall of Fame career, but joining the franchise was not the straightforward opportunity it might have seemed. Joe Montana was already the franchise’s star quarterback, and Young wanted to play rather than spend more time waiting for a chance.
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Young recently revisited the trade, explaining how he nearly ended up with the Cardinals before 49ers then-head coach Bill Walsh helped bring him to San Francisco. He also admitted he would have made a different choice if he had known Montana would remain the starter.
“No. I wanted to play. I’d learned in that year in the USFL that I could play. I just needed to get playing so I would know,” Young said on Dan Patrick Show on October 28. “I thought going and sitting was not what I hoped to have happen.”
The decision to join San Francisco came after a difficult experience with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Young recalled that former owner of the Buccaneers Hugh Culverhouse had once said, “You’re my quarterback for life.” But after Ray Perkins became head coach, Young said he quickly learned that Perkins did not like left-handed quarterbacks or players who ran around.
Perkins eventually called Young and told him he was being sent to the Cardinals before hanging up. Young was stunned and immediately contacted Culverhouse, asking him to reconsider.
Culverhouse canceled the trade and gave Young a week to find a team where he could succeed. That opened the door for Walsh and the 49ers. Young said Walsh told him Montana had undergone a second back surgery the previous week and might not be able to play much longer.
Although Young admired Montana, he saw an opportunity to join a championship organization. The 49ers also offered the financial terms needed to complete the deal. San Francisco sent Tampa Bay a second-round pick, a fourth-round pick, and cash on April 24, 1987.
The move did not immediately give Young the playing time he wanted. Montana remained the starter, and Walsh briefly used both quarterbacks during the 1988 season. Young got an opportunity in the playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings on January 9, 1988, after Montana was replaced. He completed 12 of his 17 passes for 158 yards, one touchdown, and an interception, and the 49ers lost 36-24.
Young later admitted that the waiting became difficult. By 1991, he had asked agent Leigh Steinberg to explore a way out of San Francisco. He feared his career was passing him by while he remained Montana’s backup.
Montana’s elbow injury gave Young the starting job that season. He went 5-5 as a starter, but finished with a league-best 101.8 passer rating. He followed that with an MVP season in 1992, posting a 107 rating.
Montana returned in late 1992, but the 49ers moved forward with Young as their starting quarterback. Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1993 offseason, ending the competition between two future Hall of Famers.
Young went on to win two MVP awards and lead San Francisco to a Super Bowl victory in the 1994 season. His initial hesitation about joining a team with Montana had eventually given way to one of the most successful careers in franchise history.