“Not What I Hoped”: 49ers Legend Steve Young Reveals Reluctance to Join Franchise With Major Joe Montana Concerns

Steve Young’s move to the San Francisco 49ers in 1987 eventually led to a Hall of Fame career, but joining the franchise was not the straightforward opportunity it might have seemed. Joe Montana was already the franchise’s star quarterback, and Young wanted to play rather than spend more time waiting for a chance. Young recently revisited the trade, explaining how he nearly ended up with the Cardinals before 49ers then-head coach Bill Walsh helped bring him to San Francisco. He also admitted he would have made a different choice if he had known Montana would remain the starter. “No.