Bryant Young had an illustrious 14-year NFL career—all spent with the San Francisco 49ers. He will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan never coached Young. Although, on Saturday, he admitted that he tried to bring the former defensive lineman to San Francisco as a coach. The situation just didn't work out. Young served on the Atlanta Falcons coaching staff, but it was the year after Shanahan departed for the 49ers.
Shanahan does remember Young's playing days, though. His father, Mike Shanahan, was the 49ers' offense coordinator during Young's rookie season, one in which the team finished as Super Bowl champions.
"I love B.Y.," Shanahan told reporters. "I was a ball boy when he got drafted. Talk about a rookie who comes in who doesn't act like a rookie. That guy was a man from Day 1. For me to even know that as a seventh grader, it shows how unusual it was, and how much he stuck out. ... B.Y. is so deserving as a player, and one of the most impressive people too."
There is one player from Shanahan's current roster who he can compare with Young's ability to transition from college to the NFL as if he were already a seasoned veteran. Coincidentally, that player wears Young's old number.
"Bosa," Shanahan responded when asked who that player is. "Bosa's been a professional since three years old."
Bosa, the No. 2 overall pick in 2019, is entering his fourth NFL season. He racked up an impressive 15.5 sacks last season, adding 52 tackles, 21 tackles for a loss, 32 quarterback hits, and four forced fumbles—all career highs. He was coming off an ACL injury, but you could never tell once he hit the football field. Most expect 2022 to be another career year for the 24-year-old pass rusher.
