Steve Young

The great-great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the first territorial governor of Utah, Young is a survivor. He was eighth string as a freshman at Brigham Young University, but as a senior finished as runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.

He set the NCAA single-season record for completion percentage (71.3) as a senior and then bypassed the NFL for the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League.

Two years and 4,102 yards later, Young bought out his Express contract and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who owned his NFL rights.

"Tampa couldn't protect the passer, plus they were running a dated offense, so Steve looked bad there," says former 49ers coach Bill Walsh, who traded for Young in 1987. Young watched from the sidelines as Joe Montana won Super Bowls XXIII and XXIV.

Young eventually got his chance and was named the NFL's most valuabl player in 1992 and 1994, but in San Francisco, anything less than a Super Bowl is not a successful season. After two years as National Football Conference runner-up, the 49ers finally beat the Dallas Cowboys to earn a spot in Super Bowl XXIX. Young threw a record 6 touchdown passes, including 3 to Jerry Rice, to lead San Francisco to a 49-26 drubbing of San Diego. Young was MVP again--this time in the big game.