San Francisco 49ers all-time Mount Rushmore

SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 20: Former San Francisco 49ers player Jerry Rice is seen during a ceremony honoring the 1981-82 team at halftime of the NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Levi's Stadium on December 20, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

3 of 5

Steve Young #5, Quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers prepares to hand off the ball during the National Football Conference East game against the Washington Redskins on 6 November 1994 at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, United States. The 49ers won the game 37 – 22. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Allsport/Getty Images) /

San Francisco 49ers Mount Rushmore: QB Steve Young (1987-1999)

The NFL’s most notorious dual quarterback system came from the San Francisco 49ers in the late 1980s when the team acquired Steve Young to back up Joe Montana in 1987. Head coach Bill Walsh was a big believer in Young’s ability and had a few questions about how much Montana had left in the tank.

Young ended up backing up Montana for four years and played brilliantly when he was called upon, including a few key appearances in postseason wins. The arrangement was uncomfortable for both men, however, and things accelerated when Montana missed nearly two years due to injury, which included an MVP-winning campaign for Young in 1992.

The debate came to an end in 1993 when the 49ers dealt Montana to the Kansas City Chiefs, setting the stage for Young’s first true solo act. Young was under immense pressure to win on his own and delivered in 1994, leading San Francisco to a Super Bowl victory where he had the monkey ripped off his back figuratively in the fourth quarter of the 49ers’ blowout win over the San Diego Chargers.

That performance helped Young win the Super Bowl MVP, a nice addition to his second MVP trophy during the regular season. Few athletes could have handled the pressure of succeeding a legend like Montana, but Young was up to the challenge, cementing his place on the franchise’s all-time Mount Rushmore.