A ref once tried to use a favorable call to get Steve Young to date his daughter

Steve Young once was offered favorable call in exchange for a date.

In his new autobiography, NFL great Steve Young says a referee gave him a favorable call in the Dec. 15, 1985 game between the Buccaneers and the Indianapolis Colts in hopes Young would take the official's daughter out on a date.

A few excerpts from the book were published in Peter King's MMQB column.

Even on the field, I can’t escape the craziness. We play the Colts at home. Partway through the second quarter I’m in the huddle when the head referee taps me on the shoulder. “Can I talk to you for a second?” he says. I step away from the huddle. “Hey, listen, my daughter’s going to BYU,” he whispers. Next thing I know he starts trying to convince me that I should meet his daughter. “I'd like you to take her out,” he says.

I cannot believe this. We’re in the middle of a game! “Oh, okay,” I said. “What's her name?’’ He tells me and I return to the huddle ... Late in the game we’re down 31–23 and I'm trying to mount a comeback. I scramble out of the pocket and take a brutal hit. It causes me to fumble just before the whistle blows to stop the play. I am lying on the ground when the defense recovers the loose ball, all but sealing our defeat. Suddenly out of nowhere a yellow flag lands next to me. The referee whose daughter is headed to BYU calls a personal foul on the defense. First down, Tampa Bay. I get up and brush myself off. Then the ref walks past me and whispers she likes Italian food.

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The Buccaneers still lost 31–23 and we never know if Young took the referee's daughter on a date.