JACKSONVILLE -- Following a stellar 15-year NFL career, former BYU quarterback Steve Young was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame February 5. Young will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio on August 7 along with Dan Marino, Benny Friedman and Fritz Pollard.
"I had a college coach, LaVell Edwards, who took a chance on a wild, crazy left-handed running quarterback from Connecticut," Young said. "How may Hall of Famers come out of Greenwich, Connecticut?
"It's a huge honor to be considered with some of the names on this list, some of the all-time greats. I have always had enormous respect for the Hall of Fame and all it represents."
Young,43, went from being the Cougars' eighth string quarterback as a freshman to becoming one of the nation's best players during his junior and senior campaigns. Young led BYU to two WAC championships and two holiday appearances while posting a 19-5 record.
He finished his career with 7,733 yards and 56 touchdowns. As a senior, Young was named a consensus All-American, was second in Heisman Trophy balloting and won the Davey O'Brien and Sammy Baugh trophies.
His pro-career began as inauspiciously as his college career had. Young began his career with the Los Angeles Express of the USFL before joining the Tampa Bay Bucaneers for the 1985 and '86 seasons.
Prior to the 1987 season, Young signed with San Francisco where he backed up Joe Montana before taking over during the 1991 season. Young went on to win six passing titles, while winning two league MVP awards (1992 and 1994).
The pinnacle of Young's career came when he threw a Super Bowl record six touchdown passes to lead the 49ers to a 49-26 victory over San Diego in Super bowl XXIX, while earning MVP honors.
Items from Young's Hall-of-Fame career are currently on display in BYU's Legacy Hall, including a Super Bowl MVP trophy and the Jim Thorpe NFL MVP Trophy.