San Francisco 49ers legend and former ESPN analyst Steve Young may no longer be giving his opinions on a television screen, but he’s still going to be talking football somewhere. The Hall of Fame quarterback won’t be wearing a suit-and-tie in his next gig, however… More like a Dad cap and some bike shorts.
Steve Young via NFL YouTube
Now far away from the beams of cameras and the brightness of studio lights, Young is still living the good life out on the west coast and continuing his passion for football. At least, a form of football.
Young will now serve as an assistant coach for Menlo School’s girls’ flag football team this fall, the Bay Area high school announced Monday. Young won’t be alone when it comes to former 49ers on the sidelines, either. He will work alongside head coach and fellow former San Francisco QB John Paye. Paye is also the girls’ basketball coach, and he attended Menlo before moving on to Stanford University and a brief career in the NFL.
“Flag football will be a wonderful opportunity for young women to show their talent,” Young said in a statement. “Football is a great team game that teaches tremendous life lessons. I want to help build women’s flag football.”
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California approved girl’s flag football as a sanctioned high school sport in February. The season will start in mid-August and will run through early November.
Steve Young was part of ESPN’s football coverage as an analyst for several years on a part-time basis, before finally joining the network full-time in 2021. However, that tenure didn’t last long, as Young, and several other notable names like Suzy Kolber, Max Kellerman, and Keyshawn Johnson, were all released in June.
This is all part of a noted program re-structuring at The Worldwide Leader in Sports, after years of decline due to an oversaturated lineup, redundant or outdated programming, and misfiring on social issues. The perception and the popularity of ESPN, while once considered unwavering, has been much shakier in the last 5-10 years.
In 15 NFL 15 seasons, Steve Young won three Super Bowls with the 49ers. His first two were as the backup to all-time great Joe Montana, but the former BYU product eventually succeeded Joe Cool as the starter in the early 90s. From there, Young was named the Super Bowl XXIX MVP, throwing six touchdowns in a 49-26 blowout over the San Diego Chargers. He finished his career with more than 33,000 yards and 232 touchdowns and was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame in 2005.
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