San Francisco 49ers: 15 most beloved fan favorites in franchise history
By Peter Panacy
(1987-99). Steve Young. 5. player. 42. . QB
Most beloved San Francisco 49ers in franchise history: 5. Steve Young
Few teams around the league are fortunate enough to see the proverbial “passing of the baton” from one Pro Football Hall of Fame-bound quarterback to another future Hall of Famer.
But that’s the case for 49ers fans, who watched Joe Montana turn over the reins to Steve Young.
San Francisco didn’t lose a lot there.
Young might not have been “Joe Cool.” But he was electrifying in his own right. And anyone who remembers that dramatic scramble against the Minnesota Vikings back in 1988 can probably attest to that being the moment he or she became a fan of Young.
And it only got better from there.
Young would go on to become one of the faces of the franchise, making the Pro Bowl seven times and earning three First-Team All-Pro selections, as the Niners transitioned from being the team in the 1980s to a still-dominant squad the following decade.
Breaking even more records in Super Bowl XXIX — the 49ers’ fifth championship — only solidified the deserved accolade and adoration.
To cap it all off, Young remains heavily involved with the franchise and continues to be one of its many ambassadors to this day.