Steve Young
Quarterback 8
Ht/Wt
6'
2"
|
198 lbs.
Class
Senior
Hometown
Greenwich, 
Connecticut
Last School
Greenwich High
Roster Years
1980-1983


Personal

  • Born in Salt Lake City
  • Father, LeGrande, lettered for BYU in `54, `58 and `59, having served a mission in between (1955-57) and led BYU in rushing and total offense with over 400 yards in 1959
  • Is the great-great-great grandson of Mormon colonizer Brigham Young
  • Younger brother Mike was a freshman quarterback for BYU
  • B.S. in accounting/international relations from BYU
  • Earned his law degree from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at BYU in 1994

Career Highlights

  • First team All-America by Coaches (Kodak), Football Writers (Mercedes Benz), Associated Press, United Press, Walter Camp, Football News, Gannett News and ESPN 1983
  • First team All-Western Athletic Conference and WAC Player of the Year 1983
  • Football Foundation Hall of Fame Scholarship Winner ($3,000) Scholar-Athlete 1983
  • Was runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting his senior year
  • First team All-WAC and WAC Offensive Player of the Year 1982
  • Honorable mention All-America by Associated Press 1982
  • Set an NCAA record for most consecutive passes completed in a season: 22 (8 vs. Utah State and 14 vs. Wyoming) 1982
  • Played USU in his first college start and passed for 307 yards and one TD with one interception coming from 21 of 40 passes 1981
  • His most memorable play was in the Holiday Bowl vs. Washing State when he was "smuggled" in the backfield with McMahon at quarterback, gook the pitch and passed to Gordon Hudson for a 26-yard completion to set up a first quarter TD 1981
  • Selected as the outstanding freshman in 1980
  • Set seven Western Athletic Conference records and broke 13 NCAA records during his career 

Before BYU

  • Attended Greenwich High
  • Won the Harvard Club Award and was a member of the Honor Society, also a National Merit Scholar nominee
  • In football he was honorable mention All-America, all-county, and team offensive player of the year
  • Captained baseball, basketball and football teams
  • Prep coach was Mike Ornato (Ithaca)

After BYU

  • Signed a multi-million-dollar contract and played two seasons with the Los Angeles Express
  • Then spent two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before signing with the San Francisco 49ers
  • Went back to BYU to earn his law degree from BYU

Post BYU Honors and Societies

  • Voted NFL Most Valuable Player in 1992 and 1994 and was runner-up in 1993
  • Led the 49ers to a victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX in 1995
  • Threw a Super Bowl record six touchdown passes on his way to being named Super Bowl XXIX MVP
  • Is the founder of the Forever Young Charity Foundation, an honorary chairman of the Children's Miracle Network and a spokesman for Parents of Children with Disabilities
  • Annually hosts a celebrity ski event for handicapped skiers and a celebrity golf tournament for Operation Smile
  • Also serves on the board of the American Indian Services and the Navajo Indian Scholarship Campaign
  • Inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 1994
1994 BYU Hall of Fame

1994 BYU Hall of Fame

Ambassador of Athletics and Goodwill is a fitting title for Steve Young; his abilities in competitive athletics have never overshadowed his genuine sensitivity and kindness.

Headlines have followed Steve from the time this great-great-great-grandson of Brigham Young arrived from Greenwich, Connecticut. Over time, "Number Eight" rose from number eight on the depth chart to starting for the Cougars in 1982.

In 1983 Steve broke 13 NCAA records, played in the Hula and Japan Bowls, and won the Davey O'Brien Award. He was selected consensus All-America by the Football Coaches (Kodak), Football Writers (Mercedes Benz), Walter Camp, ESPN, Football News, Gannett News Service, United Press International and Associated Press.

He was runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting, set seven Western Athletic Conference records, was 1983 WAC Player of the Year and was a two-time All-WAC selection. Steve was also chosen as a Football Foundation Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete.

In 1984, when Steve graduated in international relations, the NCAA honored him with their Top Five Award and a postgraduate scholarship. That same year he won the Dale Rex Memorial Award.

After leaving BYU he signed a multimillion-dollar contract and played two seasons with the Los Angeles Express. Steve then spent two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before signing with the San Francisco 49ers in 1987.

He was voted NFL Most Valuable Player in 1992 and 1994 and was runner-up in 1993. In January of 1995, Steve led the 49ers to a victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. In that game, Steve threw a Super Bowl record six touchdown passes on his way to being named MVP. He also won two other Super Bowls as a backup to Joe Montana.

Steve is the founder of the Forever Young Charity Foundation, an honorary chairman of the Children's Miracle Network, and a spokesman for Parents of Children with Disabilities. He annually hosts a celebrity ski event for handicapped skiers and a celebrity golf tournament for Operation Smile. Steve also served on the board of the American Indian Services and the Navajo Indian Scholarship Campaign.

Culminating years of off-season work, Steve finished his law degree at the J. Reuben Clark Law School in 1994. He has since founded a successful private equity firm and worked as an analyst on ESPN.

He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame and had his number eight retired by the university.

Freshman Year 1980

  • Selected as the outstanding freshman in 1980
  • Saw a lot of playing time with the jayvee, including piloting a wishbone attack vs. UNLV jayvee when he rushed for 95 yards and scored a TD
Sophmore Year 1981

  • Saw playing time in nine games with the varsity, playing exclusively for an injured Jim McMahon vs. Utah State and UNLV
  • Played most of the second half at Colorado when McMahon was injured
  • Suffered a hop injury vs. UNLV
  • His statistics vs. USU and UNLV were identical in a lot of areas
  • Against USU in his first college start he passed for 307 yards and one TD with one interception coming from 21 of 40 passes
  • Against UNLV he was 21-40, four interceptions, 269 yards and one TD pass
  • His most memorable play was in the Holiday Bowl vs. Washing State when he was "smuggled" in the backfield with McMahon at quarterback, gook the pitch and passed to Gordon Hudson for a 26-yard completion to set up a first-quarter TD
  • Was Academic All-WAC.
Junior Year 1982

  • First team All-WAC and WAC Offensive Player of the Year
  • Honorable mention All-America by Associated Press
  • Was Chevrolet Player of the game vs. UNLV and San Diego State
  • Was District Seven Academic All-America
  • Selected as the coaches' back of the game vs. Air Force, Colorado State, Wyoming, and San Diego State
  • Was WAC Player of the Week vs. New Mexico and San Diego State
  • Among his best performances were against New Mexico and Ohio State
  • Vs. UNM he had a key rush for a TD and passed for two more and was 18 of 28 in passing with no interceptions and 326 yards passing
  • Vs. OSU in the Holiday Bowl his 27 completions was a personal best for 341 yards and one interception and two TDs
  • Set an NCAA record for most consecutive passes completed in a season: 22 (8 vs. Utah State and 14 vs. Wyoming)
  • Tied NCAA marks for 11 games gaining 200 yards and most consecutive games (11) gaining 200 yards in a season
Senior Year 1983

  • Davey O'Brien Award winner
  • First team All-America by Coaches (Kodak), Football Writers (Mercedes Benz), Associated Press, United Press, Walter Camp, Football News, Gannett News and ESPN
  • First team All-Western Athletic Conference and WAC Player of the Year
  • Football Foundation Hall of Fame Scholarship Winner ($3,000) Scholar-Athlete
  • Set seven Western Athletic Conference records and broke 13 NCAA records during his career 
  • Was runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting
  • WAC Player of the Week vs. Bowling Green, Air Force, and Utah
  • College and Pro Football Weekly Player of the Week vs. Bowling Green
  • ESPN Amateur Athlete of the Week (Owens-Corning) for UCLA-BYU game, Oct. 1
  • Athlon's Offensive Player of the Week, Oct. 15
  • District Seven Academic All-America
  • Passed for 322 yards in one half of the Spring game
  • Involved in an automobile crash during the summer in Nebraska
  • Participated in the Fiesta Bowl drug abuse education promotion
Graduate Year

Redshirt Year

Medical Redshirt Year