Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 7, 1993 TAG: 9301070051
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Medium
FROM BACKUP TO NFL MVP
Steve Young, once the most valuable backup quarterback in football, now is the NFL's Most Valuable Player.Young, 31, who replaced Joe Montana as San Francisco's quarterback in 1991 and had a breakout year this season, was selected The Associated Press' 1992 NFL MVP on Wednesday. Young received 56 of 80 votes cast by a nationwide panel of media members.
"Wow. That's just wild," said Young, who led the NFL in passing while pacing the 49ers to a league-best 14-2 record. "My first reaction is it's an unbelievable honor.
"But my next reaction is I've got to go to work. There's a sense that you want to continue to play on that level. People can do it for a period of time, but sometimes they can't keep it up, so I feel like that's my goal, to keep that same level of play going."
That might be difficult: Young's level this season was as high as Montana and just about any other quarterback in NFL history. He completed 268 of 402 passes for 3,465 yards and 25 touchdowns, with seven interceptions. He had an 8.62 yards average gain per pass play and a 107 rating. He also ran for 537 yards and four touchdowns.
His most significant contribution might have been his leadership. Under Montana, the 49ers never had to search for on-field guidance. When Young struggled in '91 - backup Steve Bono had a 5-1 record as a starter and Young's was 5-5 - there were questions about his ability to handle the job full-time.
Luckily for Young, one of his believers was coach George Seifert, who emphatically stated that the left-hander was his man while Montana was mending from elbow surgery. As Montana's recovery lingered through the season, Young responded with a spectacular year.
After graduating from Brigham Young University, Young played two seasons in the now-defunct United States Football League. He joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 19 games through two seasons, then was dealt to the 49ers for second and fourth-round draft picks.
From 1987 through 1990, Young started 10 games as Montana established his Hall of Fame reputation. The 49ers recognized Young's importance, however, and twice signed him to big contracts.
He got his chance when Montana needed elbow surgery.
Running backs Barry Foster of Pittsburgh and Emmitt Smith of Dallas were next in the balloting with 11 and 10 votes, respectively. Sterling Sharpe of Green Bay, who set a league record with 108 receptions, got two votes. Cortez Kennedy of Seattle, the AP's Defensive Player of the Year, received one.