The ghosts of Candlestick Park whisper tales of dynasty, of near-mythical quarterback transitions that could fracture lesser franchises. Replacing a legend like Joe Montana? That was as good as asking the Faithful to swap out a piece of their soul. So on Oct. 30, 1988, when San Francisco 49ers’ QB Montana was injured against the 5-3 Minnesota Vikings, the team’s only hope was their backup, Steve Young. His iconic 49-yard touchdown, which gave his team victory, wasn’t a planned play. Instead, it is an ode to improvisation in football history. Young not only stood victorious but also started a controversial conversation among fans. Montana or Young?
The 49ers were trailing (21-17). But Young scrambled to break loose and rushed 49 yards for the game-winning TD. And just like that, they redeemed their last season’s divisional heartbreak against the same opponent. And just like that, this went on to become a critical win, considering they wouldn’t have made the playoffs without it. But where was WR Jerry Rice all this time? Summerall’s then color analyst, John Madden, immortalized that play as he rolled the replay:
“That wasn’t a run! He was going to throw to his left. He had to stop that throw in mid-action. There’s Joey Browner, one of the best tacklers in the league — he misses him! There’s Carl Lee — he misses him! Once he gets a block there, he gets another block there — watch [Jerry] Rice, he just peeled Jesse Solomon right off Steve Young. Whack! That’s the block that got Steve Young here.” And just like that, in that singular moment, he proved to be a dual-threat who dared tilt the starting QB debate in his favor, albeit temporarily. However…
He wasn’t going to replace Montana for another three seasons. And when he did, he was ready. Just like the rest of us, Rich Eisen, too, was curious to probe, cutting to the heart of the NFL’s most delicate handoff, “Did you ever have to sell yourself to Jerry Rice when you got the gig? Did you ever have to basically take him aside, go, ‘Listen, Joe’s gone, but I’m here. We’re good.’ Did you ever have to have a moment like that with him?” This is from Eisen’s latest edition of his show that came in some hours ago.
Young’s answer revealed the tangible, almost quirky, challenge beneath the legacy’s weight. “We had to, you know.
“The left-handed spin was a problem for a little while, and we kind of worked that out,” Young admitted with a wry chuckle, acknowledging the sheer physical adjustment required from the game’s greatest route-runner to a southpaw’s spiral. “And then over time, it was a transition like no other. There were moments where I kind of went, ‘Look, Jerry, we’ve been together for 25 games or 50 games’… I gave him some data, you know, and I said, ‘Look, we are killing it, bro.’”
The numbers did the killing too! During their 137-game regular-season connection, Rice hauled in 780 catches for 11,462 yards and a staggering 119 touchdowns. Young’s passer rating with Rice? Over 100.
Steve Young #8, Quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers during the National Football Conference West game against the St. Louis Rams on 26 November 1995 at 3Com Park, San Francisco, California, United States. The 49ers won the game 41 – 13. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
So Young wasn’t there to replace. He was there to forge a new, equally strong partnership through mutual respect and relentless work. What do you think?
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