Steve Young: Behind the Helmet – Part II

When Steve Young signed with the San Francisco 49ers, he went from being half of one of the biggest quarterback controversies in NFL history to the starting quarterback who couldn’t escape the looming shadow of Joe Montana’s legacy. After he led the Niners to their fifth Super Bowl win, he finally left the Montana comparisons behind him, and earned his place as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Young became known for keeping plays alive by scrambling out of defenders’ grasps and efficiently making plays while on the run. On the field, he was a confident competitor, but off it, Young was fighting internal battles that couldn’t be solved by winning a Super Bowl.

The Invisible Opponent

Growing up, Young spent only a handful of nights away from home because every time he did, he became struck by an overwhelming fear that he couldn’t understand. It was a fear that followed him throughout his life and could have dictated his life path if not for his need to be the best at everything he did. “There’s two sides to me. There’s the anxiety-ridden side, which often fills me with fear when I most need to be at my best. This is the part of me that I don’t want anyone to know about. But there’s also the ultra-competitive side. This side hates losing at anything and is evident every time I play sports. That’s the paradox of my anxiety,” Young writes in his memoir, QB: My Life Behind the Spiral, written with Jeff Benedict.

Competing with Joe Montana for the starting quarterback position increased Young’s anxiety, and taking over as the starting quarterback only heightened it. Once he stepped on the field, Young’s anxiety disappeared. The football field was his comfort zone. He viewed the physical contact and being tackled during the game as therapy for the “mental beating” he put himself through before every game.

A Little Help From His Friend

During away games, all of the 49ers’ starters had their own room. All, that is, except for Steve Young. Young knew that being alone in a hotel room would only lead him to ruminate over his performance, and become consumed by his anxiety. So, he always roomed with tight end Brent Jones. Jones would talk to Steve to distract and reassure him throughout the night. But every game day morning, Steve Young was paralyzed by his anxiety. It was Brent Jones’ responsibility to prod Young out of bed and get him to Candlestick Park, the 49ers’ former stadium, to play. When Young’s anxiety reached its peak, he spoke to the team doctor, who referred him to a therapist. Young was diagnosed with adult separation anxiety that had morphed into performance anxiety. Once Young had a name for what he was feeling, he was better able to understand and manage it.

While therapy provided Young with a name and explanation for what he was feeling, his faith helped him deal with it. The tenets of the Mormon faith gave Young a structure to follow for managing his anxiety. He also often sought guidance from his bishop.

His faith also taught him that hard work was rewarded. This belief made it difficult for Young to accept the money that he was making as Montana’s backup. In an industry where players are always vying to be paid more, Young felt guilty receiving a salary mostly to sit on the bench. He felt that he wasn’t doing enough to earn it. One day, Jim Hermann, a former BYU teammate of Young’s, visited him in San Francisco. Sitting in the passenger seat of Young’s car, Hermann opened the console and found a bunch of papers. “Steve, are these checks?” asked Hermann. “Yeah” answered Young nonchalantly. Hermann mentally added up the checks…a quarter of a million dollars. He told Young that he needed to deposit them in the bank. Young told Hermann that as a backup quarterback, he felt he hadn’t earned the money. But Steve took his friend’s advice to not leave the checks in his car. So, he brought them into his house and stuck them in a drawer.

The spring after Joe Montana led the Niners to their fourth Super Bowl win, Young received a call from Niners owner, Eddie DeBartolo, “Steve, what the hell is going on?” The Niners organization was balancing its books, and Steve Young hadn’t cashed any of his $4 million salary. DeBartolo was furious. Young deposited his checks that day.

Beyond Football

Young’s dedication to hard work also led him to pursue a law degree. The dean at Brigham Young University Law School designed an individual plan for Young to attend classes in the offseason. In 1988, Young began law school, spent every offseason studying and taking classes, and in 1994­–the same year Steve Young led the 49ers to their fifth Super Bowl win–he received his Juris Doctor.

Life After Football

Steve Young’s football career ended in 1999 after he sustained his fourth severe concussion during the third game of the season. It was the last game that he would play. At the urging of family, friends, and his doctor, Young announced his retirement on June 12, 2000.

Young worked as an NFL commentator for ESPN in 2001 and remained there until he was laid off in 2023. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005, cementing his place as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. Young co-founded HGGC, a private equity firm, and serves as chairman of the Forever Young Foundation. He and his wife, Barbara, have four children.

So, Jamille, now you know Steve Young: how he patiently waited to become the starting qurterback of the San Francisco 49ers and once he did, lived in Montana's shadow until he finally led the Niners to their fifth Super Bowl win. In public, he became a legend in his own right by outplaying his opponents. But out of the spotlight, he became one by never giving up – even when the opponent he couldn’t escape was inside his own mind – and, sometimes, with a little help from Brent Jones.

Until next time...Stay fierce. Stay fabulous. And stay faithful!

Missed Part One? Read Shadow of a Legend: Steve Young’s Journey to Become the 49ers Quarterback

 Source: QB: My Life Behind the Spiral, written with Jeff Benedict