Faithful Flashbacks #28: Steve Young’s First MVP

Faithful Flashbacks revisits Steve Young’s first MVP season, when he fully stepped out of Joe Montana’s shadow.

Aug 3, 2026, 8:00 AM Updated: 10:58 am

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In honor of the San Francisco 49ers celebrating their 80th anniversary, Sactown Sports is kicking off a countdown of the 80 greatest moments in the franchise’s illustrious history in reverse order called Faithful Flashbacks.

From Super Bowl-winning plays to overperforming teams that had minimal expectations, there’s plenty to choose from the team with five titles under its belt.

The voting was conducted by a handful of the Sactown Sports’ staffers before results were compiled into a full list that will count down to the 49ers’ 2026 NFL regular season debut against the Rams in Melbourne, Australia, on September 10th.

Faithful Flashbacks -- San Francisco 49ers 80 Best Moments

Coming in at No. 28 on our ‘Faithful Flashbacks’ countdown of the 80 best moments in franchise history is Steve Young winning his first NFL MVP award.

Before Young became one of the best quarterbacks in 49ers history, he had to follow in the footsteps of Joe Montana. That was a high bar to live up to, to say the least. Montana had already won four Super Bowls, authored the defining moments of the franchise’s rise, and became the standard for quarterback play in San Francisco.

Young had been with the 49ers for several years by the time the job fully opened. He arrived after a rough start to his NFL career in Tampa Bay, then spent four seasons backing up Montana while showing enough in spot duty to keep the conversation alive about what he could become down the line. His talent was obvious, but the nature of backing up a legend at quarterback made it seem complicated.

It took an eblow injury to Montana for Young to get a real, sustained chance at the starting spot. Young took over as the starter in 1991, and the season still felt like part of the transition. The 49ers finished with a winning record but missed the playoffs, and the quarterback change had not yet produced the same type of team results the franchise was used to chasing. The next year gave Young his first full season as the guy in San Francisco, and he proved that he belonged in that role quickly.

In 1992, Young led the NFL in passer rating, completion percentage, and touchdown passes, finishing with a 107.0 rating, completing 66.7 percent of his throws, and throwing 25 touchdowns. He also remained a threat as a runner, giving San Francisco’s offense a more dynamic look than it had under Montana.

The 49ers went 14-2, earned the top seed in the NFC, and reached the NFC Championship Game. The season ended with a loss to Dallas, which would become the biggest obstacle for San Francisco during that part of the decade, but Young’s individual breakthrough was already clear. He went from backing up Montana with no real runway to the starting spot to the league MVP.

Young received 56 of 80 votes for the award, making him the runaway winner. He would later add another MVP, lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl title, and earn Super Bowl MVP honors after throwing six touchdowns against the Chargers.

Playing in Montana’s shadow made his timeline seem unclear, but Steve Young stayed ready and capitalized when the opportunity presented itself. Young’s 1992 season was the first full proof that his own era could be more than a bridge from the last one.

More Faithful Flashbacks from Sactown Sports

Upcoming San Francisco 49ers Schedule

Late July 2026 – NFL Training Camps open
Thursday, September 10th – vs. Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia (Season Opener) – 5:35 pm PT
Sunday, September 20th – vs. Miami Dolphins – 1:25 pm PT
Sunday, September 27th – vs. Arizona Cardinals – 1:05 pm PT
Sunday, October 4th – vs. Denver Broncos – 1:25 pm PT

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