When Steve Young looks around the NFL, he doesn't see a lot of teams built quite like the San Francisco 49ers. That has the Hall of Fame quarterback excited about the possibilities this season. According to Young, there's an intangible difference that sets the 49ers apart from other teams in the league.
While numerous teams boast individual talent, the 49ers have that extra something that can lead to championship success. Young knows what that looks like, too, having been part of three Super Bowl teams.
"This team is different," Young said Thursday on KNBR's "Tolbert and Copes" show. "And I think they know that, and they sense that. And they might start slow. They'll get it right. They've got a quarterback, if he makes mistakes early, he won't make them again."
That quarterback is Brock Purdy, the last overall draft pick in 2022 who burst onto the NFL scene in December last season and has yet to lose a regular-season game. The second-year quarterback is playing like a seasoned veteran and has guided the 49ers to an unblemished 5-0 record heading into a Week 6 clash with the Cleveland Browns.
Purdy has completed 72.1 percent of his passes for 1,271 yards with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. He is proving to be among the best quarterbacks in the NFL and has even entered the MVP conversation in some people's minds.
Young has seen enough of the 23-year-old player to know the 49ers don't have to worry about their quarterback's decision-making. That stability under center can take the team far.
"He'll calm things down," Young said. "He won't take chances and make a four-interception game; just won't do it. So it's like we're not going to get into a jam where you get in the second half, and we're now down 10-3. It won't happen."
Reflecting on his own playing days, Young added, "And I think that's the knowledge we had back in the day, and it makes me feel really good."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Young below.