Late-blooming NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young believes Bryce Young can bounce back

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young knows what it's like to have an inauspicious start to his career.

Tim Weaver | 13 Hours Ago

Aug 19, 1995; San Francisco, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young in action against the Carolina Panthers during a 1995 pre-season game at Candlestick Park / Imagn Images

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Carolina Panthers

Success is never guaranteed in the NFL, even for number one overall draft picks. For every Cam Newton there's a Tim Couch and even some of the all-time greats had rough rookie seasons. Peyton Manning infamously threw more interceptions than touchdowns his first year, and he's far from the only star who had a tough time adjusting to the speed of things at this level.

So, even though Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young might look broken right now, remember that he's still a very young player who has time to turn his career around. In more recent years there have been plenty of comeback stories from quarterbacks who had previously been written off, as well. Josh Allen didn't become Josh Allen until his third year in the league. Geno Smith didn't become this version of Geno Smith until his ninth.

Steve Young's strange career arc

Another all-time late bloomer was Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, who was also a number one pick in the 1984 supplemental draft. The first two years of his career Young totally bombed, going 3-16 as a starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while throwing nearly twice as many picks as touchdown passes. After that, he spent five seasons backing up GOAT quarterback Joe Montana with the San Francisco 49ers.

Young finally got his shot to start full-time for the 49ers in the 1992 season, and he quickly emerged as one of the best quarterbacks around the league. His first year as QB1 in San Francisco he led the league in completion rate, touchdowns and passer rating on his way to winning the league MVP award. Young was a first-team All-Pro that year and the following two and eventually won the Super Bowl in 1994.

So, you can see why Young still believes that Bryce Young can bounce back and make it in the NFL. Here's what he told ESPN earlier this week, per David Newton.

Steve Young on Bryce Young

"He's got the talent, he's got the ability... Go make it happen. But if you're going to start focusing on all the things that aren't perfect, you're not going to get there... Carolina's mistakes, the owner's mistakes, management's mistakes ... and his mistakes.... That's quarterbacking. He literally has to grit his teeth and get back on the field, do the things to regain the confidence that got him here.''

Young may have had a one-in-a-million career path to the Hall of Fame, but he's also proof that it's possible even for quarterbacks who look irredeemable their first couple years in the NFL.