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Retirement imminent SI's King confirms 49ers quarterback Young to retire
Posted: Friday June 09, 2000 12:56 AM
ATLANTA (CNNSI.com) -- NFL sources confirm San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young will retire from football within the week, reports Sports Illustrated's Peter King. An Internet report Thursday said Young likely will announce his decision Monday during a formal ceremony. Young said Tuesday that he had met with Denver head coach Mike Shanahan on Monday, but it was for advice. "I have not been in negotiation; I have not been in contract talks, or anything," he said. "But I will say that, obviously, I have some options and I have a big decision to make. Everyone knows how much respect I have for Mike, and that makes sense I hope for everyone that I would go do that. And I will continue to do that throughout the week because I have a decision to make. You have got to believe that this is a big one for me."
Young, 38, has been struggling to choose between three options: play for the 49ers, join another NFL team or retire. He hasn't played since a head blow Sept. 27 at Arizona left him with his fourth concussion in three years. "I went to him [Shanahan] because everyone I think knows my respect level for what I feel about our relationship while he was here and our relationship has continued that way all throughout the last six years," Young said. "I sought him out because I not only seek him as an advisor but clearly as someone who, if I want to, there is something I could look in to." It appeared Monday that Young's options had been reduced to retirement or playing elsewhere after San Francisco general manager Bill Walsh all but ruled out his return to the 49ers. But on Tuesday, Walsh backed off remarks implying Young's career with the team was over. He said the return of the two-time league MVP was possible if he gained medical clearance from a series of doctors. Young also has planned a talk this week with Seattle coach Mike Holmgren. Shanahan and Holmgren are close to Young as former offensive coordinators for the 49ers, and Holmgren also coached Young at BYU.
San Francisco head coach Steve Mariucci said Tuesday that he had spoken with Young after the quarterback's return from Denver. "As you can tell, he is anguishing over all of this, because he has so much love for the game and this is a big decision for Steve, and for all of us. "He is being thorough and he is leaving no stones unturned," Mariucci said. "He is looking at all of this from all angles and he just wants to make the right decision, any decision he makes, is going to be a tough one. There has been a lot of discussion about a lot of different scenarios. We are giving him his space and we are giving him his due." The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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