‘Next Steve Young’ may have been signed by the San Francisco 49ers, according to Kyle Shanahan.
This offseason, the San Francisco 49ers signed quarterback Sam Darnold, formerly of the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, and head coach Kyle Shanahan thinks he has what it takes to become one of the franchise’s all-time greats.
Sam Darnold has the potential to be as outstanding as an NFL Hall of Famer, according to San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan (Photo: Aaron W. Henderson/Getty Images).
Sam Darnold has the potential to be just as good as Hall of Famer Steve Young, according to Kyle Shanahan.
The 26-year-old, who inked a one-year contract in March, was welcomed to the San Francisco 49ers over the offseason by head coach Steve Mariotti. He is Brock Purdy’s backup quarterback with Trey Lance, who is expected to start the 2017 season if he recovers fully from elbow surgery.
Who will step up in the event that Purdy is unable to start the season has been a subject that has been asked all offseason long. However, in light of Shanahan’s most recent remarks about Darnold, it might be a sign of his preference. Shanahan told the San Francisco Chronicle, “You look at the history of the league, the quarterback is not dependent on one person.”
“It’s always difficult, but you need to be in a good scenario and surround yourself with talented guys. Even though he took some time to develop, Steve Young is among the all-time great quarterbacks. Because of how excellent Steve is, I try not to compare anyone to him, but why can’t Sam be as good? That kind of ability is his. That’s the kind of guy he is. And the fact that we could have such a gifted man here excites me.
Among the greatest players to ever play in the NFL is Steve Young. Throughout his stellar 15-year career, he won three Super Bowls and was named the 1995 MVP of the game. Having led the league in passer rating six times in a row, he has the second-highest career total of rushing touchdowns (43).
Similar to Young, Darnold is an excellent passer with remarkable mobility, and if given the chance, he is more than capable of contributing greatly to the 49ers’ success. The third overall choice in the 2018 NFL Draft, Darnold, made a comment earlier in July regarding his adjustment to learning a new offense since joining the 49ers.
Darnold provided some insight into the advancements he is making with his new team as he is still being tested. He admitted to being a work in progress to NBC Sports. “I felt like I improved throughout camp and simply became more accustomed to the setup.
Shanahan believes Darnold can follow in the footsteps of three-time Super Bowl winner and NFL great Steve YoungPicture courtesy of Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
Therefore, I still have to study and go through the process of learning the system. However, I’m looking forward to it and it’s been a lot of fun so far. After suffering an ankle injury early in the season, Darnold was limited to just six games for the Carolina Panthers.
Nevertheless, he managed to complete 58.6% of his passes for 1,143 yards, including three interceptions and seven touchdowns. Regarding his level of fitness, Darnold stated the following before arriving for training camp this past week: “These last couple of weeks, I’ve been doing [physical therapy], working out a little bit.”
“But going to start ramping it up here this next week and get going so I’m ready for camp.” On September 10, the 49ers will play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium to kick off the new campaign.
