Bill Walsh: A Football Life - Montana vs. Young A QB Controversy 

Montana won 4 Super Bowls in 9 years. In those 4 games he had 11 TD passes, 0 interceptions, with a 127.8 passing rating. He definitely brought it in big games.

What an epic story. You will never see two quarterbacks this good on one team again.

Even though 1988 was a championship season it was Walsh's worst. The inconsistency nearly kept the best team in football from even making the playoffs and the ship only righted itself when Montana was finally put where he belongs.

Montana is a Hall of Famer, Young is a Hall of Famer. This is the problem. Both are number one QBs.

Steve young best left hand QB of all time hands down

I think letting Steve Young start for part of 1988 helped keep Montana rested for the playoffs. Montana was injury prone for the rest of his career, and it helped to have a reliable backup to shoulder some of the load. Even in Kansas City, where there was no QB controversy, Dave Krieg and Steve Bono were there for that purpose.

Joe Montana said, later, that the whole team didn't take the Vikings game seriously. Meaning they probably didn't take the previous week's practice seriously. I had the sense that that was going to happen. Everyone took it for granted that the 49ers would win.

I got love for Young, But there is absolutely no one or will there ever be anyone like Joe Montana

I can imagine the silence and the coaches looking at each other in that meeting room when Bill brought up “What do you we could get in a Trade for Montana?...” 👀

John Lynch played under Bill Walsh at Stanford and Mike Shanahan at Denver. Mike Shanahan was OC of Montana and Young's Niners. Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have a chance to bring back that old spirit and drive. let's hope for the best!

They traded Joe Montana to KC so much for all he did at San Francisco. The owners stabbed the guy in the back. When they played Joe and Steve against each other Joe should have left thoses ungreatful Jerks

Very few NFL teams get the opportunity to have a truly elite quarterback. The 49'ers had the wonderful 'problem' of having two. The only other team in the last 30 years that I can think of, who was in a similar situation is the Packers, when they had Favre and Rodgers.

Walsh clearly mishandled that situation. A two-time Super Bowl MVP leads your team to yet another division title with a 102.1 QB rating (over 3,000 yards passing and 31 touchdowns), but then throws an interception -- count it, one whole interception! -- in a playoff game, and all of a sudden you're eager to *trade* him to another team!?!? Was it Montana's fault the 49ers' defense gave up over 400 yards and 29 points to the Vikings? Was it Montana's fault Ray Wersching missed a 26-yard field goal (a virtual chip shot) near the end of the first half? It makes absolutely no sense. That's why I can't help but wonder if Walsh had some sort of grudge against Montana as a result of something that happened *off* the field, and was therefore *looking* for an excuse -- *any* excuse -- to trade him. What was that something? Did his wife scream out Joe's name in the heat of passion? Guess we'll never know.

When Montana was traded was he past his prime ? Learning about this I had no idea him and young were competing for starting , kinda disrespectful for a qb who did so much

Joe and Steve are the reason I love the 49ers but honestly, Steve young out performed Joe Montana, considering the fact that Joe was lucky enough to be Bill Walsh's first masterpiece, Young was only part of Bill Walsh's brilliant tactics.. Joe was master of keeping cool and coming back from sure defeats, but Steve had heart and made himself a player who in his short lived career in SF overcame doubtful fans and shunning comments from the media put his name in the hof and beat a couple of Joe's records from only 1 superbowl...

I think its quite simple. Bill Walsh was feeling the pressure from above and he didn't know how to handle it. The pressure Walsh felt trickled down to Montana.

Both were great. Young lost some good years playing behind Montana, but from 87 - 90 Montana was a bit better. Flash forward to 92' and Young had won the spot, the trade was the right move despite Montana having some good years left in him.

Happy 84th birthday bill walsh

One thing I couldn't stand was that people said that Tom Brady was the creation of Bill Belichick. One could say the same for Joe Montana, also before you say that Joe is better than Tom cause he never lost a Superbowl, remember that neither Joe Flacco or Eli Manning have lost, so does that make them better than Peyton Manning(who lost 2 Superbowls).

What a great problem to have, having teo Hall of Fame quarterbacks to choose from

This reminds me a lot of Favre - Rodgers transition. Favre had a horrible game in Dallas, got hit and hurt bad enough that he was pulled, Rodgers came in and moved the ball. Packers fell short, but I think the Packers scored 2 or 3 times with Rodgers, and only once with Favre. And thus began the saga of Favre

does anyone know what the name of the music track is at 2:20? it's also on "Elway to Marion" as well.

its painful to read Mike Mike text comments. bottom line Joe Montana is 4-0 in Sbs. always was and will be better than Steve Young. Steve will admit that. Montana from 83-90 was a machine,cant knock the guy for having Rice & the weapons around him. In 1990, if Leonard Marshall doesn't knock him out,I think 49ers beat Bills in a shootout for Joes 5th ring. In 86 when 49ers got beat in Ny,hard to knock Joe for that. 86 Gmen had a nasty D,lead by Bill B & Bill Parcells. Steve Young sat behind Joe from 85-90. Walsh and San Fran knew who the man was. I always like Steve,but Montana was a surgeon running that offense

I'm a Vikings fan. In the '87 playoff game, we may have won the battle but Frisco won the war. After that, they won 3 more Super Bowls titles and we have none.

it was hard back then, but eventually they moved on and got better in some ways.

You can say what you want about how smart he was, but if they made the deal with KC for Montana you figure 2 #1's and a #2. He's then looking at Steve Young, Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin on offense and adding Derrick Thomas on defense. Let's just say history would have been different if that happened.

Montana was awesome. Montana and Walsh were fabulous together.

3:04 conversations with denver?? Umm a man named Elway was still employed there. Unless it was a montana/elway swap, which woulda been craaaaazy wild

Holmgren actually coached Young at BYU

who s better Joe Steve , Brady or Montana ,elway or Marino . forget stats and rings who ya got sudden death clock ticking?🤔

greatest coach in the history bar none in the history of football

Young constantly complaining “i wanna be the starter “ its like yo, ask to be traded and create your own legacy. Nope…he wanted to be the 49ers qb. The cake that Montana created was already in the oven and he wanted to take over is all. Jim McMahon said in an interview that he was the same way at BYU. Constantly crying “ Coach please put me in, play me instead of Jim”. Montana is the 49ers and he and Bill Walsh created that dynasty along with Eddie D. Whilst Young was a total bust in Tampa

Walsh gave up on Joe n threw him away to tryna save his ass

It's like picking between your two kids. Which do you love more?

Smh after everything Joe has done for SF, how could Bill have disrespect him like that just because he thought Joe was going to get him fired from losing too much many future games smfh!!!!!!!!!!

Hall of famer on the field. Hall of famer on the bench. Walsh knew exactly what to do.

Joe Goat Cool

Walsh had too much pressure on him from Eddie and himself to succeed. I can see why he was second guessing Joe......His job was on the line and he couldn't focus.

An important note to the comment I made below but forgot. Joe Montana would always listen to Jerry Rice's input, at any time during a game. In between plays, I've seen countless times, after a play, JR would run up to JM, and say something, then on the next play, JM would throw (completions) to JR. Bread and butter that was. And Joe would listen to a player, wideout, offensive guard, etc... If a player knew he could beat his opponent on the next play, Joe would often go for it. Joe was like, "Let me know, when you know, that you've got your man beat." The same frustration that Bill Walsh generated with the QBs (I just learned that in more detail), is the same frustration that JR must have been feeling during the games with SY, thusly heightening Steve Young's admitted propensity for ignoring players who were asking for the ball on a plays. Steve Young did to Jerry Rice what Al Davis did to Marcus Allen. The unity that Joe Montana established, is the same unity that JR, naturally, thought would be the same when SY became QB. With JM, JR was valuable to the play calling, as stated above, but SY, desperate to have his name shine up in big lights, ignored that comradarie. There's more I can say, but I wait until provoked to do so. Please, no vulgar language in responses. Try first to use non-vulgar, and see if we can keep this a pleasant atmosphere for the young adults and those who are weary of unfounded bravado.

Two great QB

Wasn't Steve Y. Payed the biggest contract when the Cowboys of the NFL tried Drafting him to keep the New UFSL from getting him.The Los something paid 40 million for S.Young the biggest contract ever at the time and they never played him ever after signing him. Is this the same guy ?

Denver??? Speaking of QB controversy.

I've always been in ill favor with Steve Young because of the friction that News Media would report in the latter '80s, saying Steve Young was giving Joe a bad time, but after seeing this Vid I see that it was Bill Walsh that started it. It's understandable for Anyone to get restless and discontent with all that uncertainty, so I will now forgive Steve in light of that. But Steve Young still could have thrown the ball to Jerry Rice more than he did. Steve's arrogance in wanting to do things his way caused him to ignore Jerry Rice's input. Steve admitted on National TV, and to Jerry Rice, when Rice would ask Steve to throw the ball to him, on various plays, that he would throw to somebody else. Because of Steve's arrogance and selfishness, we see that Jerry Rice ended his career with less than 200 receiving TDs. Jerry should have had at least 210 TDs for that total. I've seen too many games where JR was wide open, short yardage- long yardage, where SY would throw to someone else. Game Announcers would broadcast the best thing in many instances would be to throw to JR yet SY didn't, leaving everyone dumbfounded. When JR would approach SY in the huddle or on the sideline, this was made SY throw to someone else more. Effectively benching JR while still on the field. Through the years in broadcasting we've all witnessed SY's abominable arrogance. I think he is finally starting to mellow out. If I couldn't have Joe Montana at QB, I would pick SY anyday. SY was a great great QB, except he couldn't win games in the rain.

Imagine choosing from two of the best ever

montana was a better qb than young.joe could have won that game.

It "is what it is." You have two starting quarterbacks. Both can and did take the team to the Super Bowl and win. Two unyielding egos, both great athletes. Both winners. The mistake was giving birth to a "quarterback controversy." Had I been the coach, Montana would clearly have been named starting quarterback, period. Steve Young, that's my future starting quarterback when Montana proved consistently he no longer had the physical tools. Professional football is clearly a business. If an athlete has it, he plays, period. Joe earned the starting job, FIRST! Like it, or not, Steve was INSURANCE to win. Would I have benched Montana when today wasn't his day? Yes I would. I'd do it in a heartbeat! As head coach, I'm paid to do one thing and one thing only, WIN! And as much as Steve would hate it, I would have made it very, very clear to him, Joe is and will be my starting quarterback until he can't do it anymore. And if you can't deal with that, let me know and we can trade you. Not a problem.

I must beg the question... Would the Niners have won the next 2 Super Bowls had Steve Young started them and not Montana?

This is where Bill Walsh got too smart.

Montana would have won those 2 Dallas SB games.

Qb competitions never work

rip bill walsh

If Montana had rice and and Taylor both from his first year to last year and believe heck coach he'd have every record possible and nobody would never touch him

Because of this joe Montana hates Steve young to this day! There have been so many times when Montana wouldn't show up to a niners reunion party, because young was going to be there.

young 1 superbowl... joe 4 hello

and then???

To day

Bill Walsh should have just kept both Montana and Young let Joe play the first half of the season and the 2nd half of the season can be Steve Yong's turn.

Wait 2 QB's isn't Young a back up QB wtf!!!

Montana was the better quarterback and young was the better athlete. If I'm looking for a quarterback I'd look for a guy like young instead he's more versatile.

Montana all day

I accidentally thought it said Blair Walsh

The problem was Joe was right handed and Steve was left handed 😂😂😂😂

Montana was the better QB. And it's not even close.

He used it to smoke screen his own Rufus mistakes.

And the only person who was happy during this situation was Jerry rice lmaooo

If you kept Joe you would've won four more Superbowls.

Walsh really wasted Young's career. he only started at 30 years old.

This should have never been a controversy. The owner should have let Montana start in 93, let Montana retire however that season ended and then hand the team over. Everybody in the world would love Steve young if that would have happened but lets go ahead and keep it real. Seifert started tearing that team up the minute he took over. Shipped Ronnie Lott and Roger Craig off when they could still play and that started the locker room split that carried over to Young starting and Haley trying to attack Steve Young after a Raiders game. The best day of my NFL life was when Montana beat the 49ers in 94. I knew Young would choke like he always did.

Terrible Coaching Screwup, lousy leadership...

Joe should have went into the hall of fame as a chief for what the owners did to him. I think Steve was great but this was Joe's team. He should have been allowed to retire there. Bill Walsh had no backbone.

Regular season was Joe Montana and Steve Young were about eating but when it came to playoffs in the end of games that's where Joe separated himself from Steve being better and that's saying a lot because Steve was a great NFL quarterback

Blaine and Colin 2.0

Joe cool the real g.o.a.t.

If Montana would have been lucky enough to play for Joe Gibbs he'd of had 10 Superbowl titles. Credit mediocre Coach Walsh for drafting Montana. It took him 3 rounds of the NFL draft to figure it out, but we'll forget about that part.

The biggest mistake in nfl history coming from a raider fan

Go Vikings

I love football forever will be a nigga favorite sport

Wasn't Steve young lefty? That says a lot.about the recievers catching passes from a righty and lefty switching back and forth.

No one's position is safe. Watch out Tom Brady



It makes no sense how Bill Walsh gets hate for trading Montana. It was clearly a smart decision considering they went 14-2 the first season with young as a starter and he was a first team all pro 3 straight years and led the league in completion%, yards per attempt, passer rating, and TD's 3 straight years while Montana was crumbling and breaking in half in KC. If they let young walk it woulda been the worst mistake of Walsh's career. Young was the better Quarterback at the time and if you compare both in their prime, Steve is the far better QB statistically and Physically.

Say what you want about Brady but he was never benched for another QB. Joe was phenomenal but Brady is in another Stratosphere

Kap should go down in the hall of fame. Best quarterback 49ers have ever had

Young blows

Walsh weakness: He was so smart that he could be stupid............you don't run out players (when they could play 3-5 years).....creative tension between two QBs is untheruptic for team chemistry....

Why did Denver want to trade for Montana? Did he hate Elway or something?