Faithful Flashbacks #24: Trading for Steve Young

Faithful Flashbacks revisits the 49ers trading for Steve Young, a move that eventually gave them another Hall of Fame quarterback.

BY BRENDEN NUNES

Aug 7, 2026, 7:00 AM Updated: 10:12 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. 24 on our ‘Faithful Flashbacks’ countdown of the 80 best moments in franchise history is the 49ers trading for Steve Young.

At the time, the move wasn’t anywhere near the highlight it became over time. The 49ers already had quarterback Joe Montana, who had led San Francisco to two Super Bowl wins. He was the quarterback tied to the rise of Bill Walsh’s offense and the player most responsible for turning the 49ers into one of the league’s defining teams.

Young’s situation looked much different prior to arriving in San Francisco. After beginning his professional career in the USFL, he landed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and struggled on a bad team. The talent was there, especially with his mobility and left-handed arm, but the results in Tampa were underwhelming. By the time the 49ers traded for him in 1987, Young was viewed more as a reclamation project rather than a future Hall of Famer, as he turned out to be.

That reality is what makes the deal they made so impressive. The 49ers sent a second-round pick, a fourth-round pick, and cash to Tampa Bay to bring Young to San Francisco. He was coming in behind Montana, with a chance to develop in a much better environment and learn inside one of the best offensive systems in football.

For several years, Young’s role was complicated and often buried. He was talented enough to create conversation whenever he played, but they had no reason to stray from what was working with Montana. It wasn’t until Montana started dealing with injuries that Young finally got an extended opportunity to run the show. Replacing a legend comes with sky-high expectations, especially with everything Montana had accomplished with San Francisco.

In hindsight, it was one of the best moves the organization has ever made, allowing them to extend their championship window even further. Young went on to win multiple MVP awards, lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl title, earn Super Bowl MVP, and build a Hall of Fame career that stood on its own rather than simply existing in Montana’s shadow.

The 49ers thought they landed a backup quarterback in that 1987 trade, but ended up with their second consecutive Hall of Famer at the position. Young ended up being the quarterback who would extend their championship window after one of the greatest runs in NFL history.

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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