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'I think the world of him' Shanahan praises Young as one of the greats of all time
Posted: Friday June 09, 2000 06:19 PM
DENVER (AP) -- Free to comment after confirmation in San Francisco that Steve Young is retiring, Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan called Young one of the top five quarterbacks ever to play the game. Shanahan, who met with Young on Monday but who wanted to withhold any comment until the player made an announcement about his future, spoke Friday about the pleasure of coaching Young for three seasons (1992-94) with the 49ers. "I think everyone knows what I think of Steve," he said. "I really believe he's one of the top five players ever to play the game at his position. I think the world of him. What a career he's had. "He could do it all. He had a great sense of timing. He could make all the throws. He was a great competitor. He was a leader, both on and off the football field. And he could make plays when nothing was there. He was a legitimate sub-4.5 quarterback, and they don't exist very often. He had that burning desire which only the great ones have to be as competitive as anybody. "I had the luxury to be around some great competitive guys like [Joe] Montana and Young, and obviously you guys all know how I feel about John Elway and what he's accomplished. Being around the great ones, they've got the competitiveness that is really untouchable, besides having the skills. "I think everybody has seen some of Steve's great runs. It was just a pleasure to be around him for the time I was with him." After missing most of the 1999 season with his fourth concussion in three years, Young, 38, considered retirement in the offseason. But he also had the option of returning to the 49ers -- assuming he got medical clearance and the team could fit him under its salary cap -- or go to another team, like the Broncos. Although associates said Shanahan coveted Young, the coach was unable to comment publicly because of NFL tampering rules. Aware that his pursuit of Young might have been a distraction for his team, Shanahan told his players on Friday that "it would have been a bonus if Steve would have been here. I let everybody know what I thought of Steve Young as a person and as a quarterback. But it had nothing to do with taking away from my beliefs in the quarterbacks on this team. I made that very clear. "As I told our team, we had an opportunity to get one of the best quarterbacks to play the game. We'd never pass up an opportunity like that. It didn't work out, and obviously I wish him the best." Asked if there was a point in the last six months when he thought Young would become a Bronco, Shanahan said, "I really don't know. When you're not able to talk to somebody, I don't think anybody knew except for Steve. For a long time, he's been thinking about which direction he was going to go. I just had a chance to sit down and talk to him on Monday, kind of get a feel." Asked if he thought Young was making a wise decision because of his medical history, Shanahan said, "I'm not going to get into that." Broncos running back Terrell Davis, however, called it "a very wise decision. If I played that many years and I had concussions like that, it would have been a no-brainer to me. I wouldn't have come back. He has nothing else to prove, and you have to let it go sooner or later. I think right now is the perfect time." Davis was thankful to bring closure to the Young speculation. "Like I said before, I didn't think it was fair to [incumbent Broncos quarterback Brian] Griese until Steve was actually here or made his decision. Griese's our man. Either him or Gus [Frerotte], I think they're going to get the job done."
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