49ers legend Steve Young sticks up for his guy on the Ravens

Young joined a Ravens-focused podcast called “The Vault” to discuss Monday night’s matchup and his long-held affinity for Jackson, who is one of the top MVP candidates this season. 

Young said he feels a “tremendous kinship” with players who use their mobility to be dual-threat quarterbacks, calling Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and former NFL MVP Michael Vick “my people.” As the NFL has changed the rules to protect the quarterback, Young believes these types of quarterbacks “run the league” in today’s game compared to when he was playing.

“I don’t relate as much to Peyton [Manning] or Dan Marino. They played a different game because of the capabilities that they had, so those are unique challenges that they can speak to that I actually can’t speak to as well,” Young said. “But the game, in some ways, in the last 20 years since I retired, has come to me. I was the oddity back 20 years ago, and now you’re the prototype.”

Young said the 40-minute conversation (which was supposed to only be 20 minutes) felt like a therapy session and gave him “a good mental health day,” adding that he’s been “having this conversation for four, five years and I kept screaming into the wind” about Jackson. The podcast proved his point for him, re-airing one of Young’s rants about Jackson from his past job as an ESPN analyst, where he blasted the Ravens for underutilizing Jackson and not letting him be a full and complete passer. Young seemed to take the slight as an almost personal affront.

“When I see ‘my people,’ ‘my guys’ in a situation that’s not being given the opportunity to flourish, then I’m gonna speak up,” Young said. 

Young does give credit to what the Ravens did with Jackson under previous offensive coordinator Greg Roman, saying they developed “the most sophisticated running game in history.” But Young felt that the lack of passing development hampered Jackson and the Ravens in the playoffs — and he was incensed by people blaming those losses on Jackson’s inability to throw. 

“Don’t tell me, ‘Well, that’s Lamar, he can’t do certain things,’” Young said. “I’d pull my hair out when people said — and I think sometimes there were people inside the building who said — ‘I don’t think he can be that guy.’ …Do not diminish the potential of what Lamar Jackson can be in the game today. The game is his game.”

After contentious offseason contract negotiations and some rumored interest around the league, Jackson returned to Baltimore and, under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, has led the Ravens to an 11-3 record so far, tied with the 49ers for the best in the NFL.

Even though the Ravens lead the NFL in rushing attempts, Jackson already has set a new career high in both completions (266) and completion percentage (66.3%) and will likely set career-highs in both pass attempts (401) and passing yards (3,105) in Monday’s game. The enhancement of Jackson’s passing is something Young has absolutely noticed, heaping praise on the Ravens leadership and, in particular, coach John Harbaugh.

“I’ve admired the humility and the savviness of John and the people inside the building that have done this because, to me, I think it opens up the possibility for a big victory on Monday night and wins in January,” Young said.

It’s not often that a 49ers legend will give out a blueprint for how the Niners’ opponent can beat them, and Young thinks San Francisco is a juggernaut, saying, “If you get behind these guys, you’re going to be in trouble.” Young added that neither team sees an opponent like their Monday night rival often, adding to the uncertainty heading into the game.

But Young said he thinks Jackson is “the best” — and clearly thinks the quarterback can not just take over a game like on Monday night, but could take over the league.

“I beg them to continue to take chances to let him develop because I still believe that, like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar could be the greatest player,” Young said. “You see Patrick headed that direction. And I think he and Lamar could go head-to-head for 10 more years.  I just want it to happen.”