It's never easy following in the footsteps of a legend. In the case of Steve Young, he has almost made it look too easy. And the San Francisco 49ers have been the direct beneficiary of such a transition.

	THE YOUNG FILE
	Steve Young discusses his NFL future during the Sunday conversation with ESPN's Chris Berman. Check out the entire interview: Real Video Young's career highlights: Named NFL MVP in 1992 and 1994. Named MVP of Super Bowl XXIX when he threw a record six TD passes. Ranks as the NFL's career leader in quarterback rating with a mark of 96.8. Won his sixth NFL passing title in 1997, tying Sammy Baugh's record of seven career titles. Ranks as the all-time leader in touchdown-to-interception ratio at 2.17. Named to seven consecutive Pro Bowls. His 43 rushing touchdowns are the most by a quarterback in NFL history. Set NFL record for most consecutive 300-yard games with six in 1998. Has thrown for 33,124 yards in his career with 232 TD passes and 107 interceptions.

The Niners' near 20-year run of excellence might never be seen again in today's National Football League. No team won more regular-season contests and Super Bowl titles in the 1980s. No team will win more regular-season games in the 1990s. Since 1981, when the 49ers won their first of five NFL championships, they have taken few prisoners, suffering through only one losing season (1982) and missing the playoffs only twice ('82 and '91). They've won at least 10 games in each of the last 16 seasons.

Perhaps the primary reason the Niners have been able to remain on top for so long has been the consistency of their two dominant quarterbacks, Joe Montana and Young. The former led the 49ers to four Super Bowl titles in the 1980s.

Young took over in 1991 and eventually put his championship stamp on the club in 1994, when he not only won Most Valuable Player honors for the season but threw a Super Bowl-record six touchdown passes in San Francisco's 49-26 rout of the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX at Miami's Pro Player Stadium.

It took that victory over San Diego for Young to finally "get the monkey off his back," something that he has admitted publicly. Before that victory, he was best known for getting the Niners to the NFC Championship Game the previous two years, only to have the Dallas Cowboys derail their Super Bowl plans in each instance. After all, Montana had led the franchise to four titles in the 1980s, but Young apparently could not get a very talented team over the hump.

Up until then, Young had done everything possible to make sure the 49ers were in the Super Bowl sweepstakes each year. After an injury-plagued '91 campaign in which the team missed the playoffs, Young enjoyed a breakout season. In 1992, he won the first of his two MVP awards and led San Francisco to the league's best record (14-2). In '93, the Niners slipped to 10-6, but they still won the NFC West and made it to the conference title game once again.

Since 1995, San Francisco has stayed a contender, and Young has remained one of the premier quarterbacks in the game. He has been so good that he has held together a flawed 49ers team. He still has future Hall of Famer receiver Jerry Rice, and he eventually gained other weapons such as wideout Terrell Owens and running back Garrison Hearst. But the team has not done a good job rebuilding the offensive line, and Young has taken a beating over the last few years. And a once-formidable defense has slipped consistently the last few seasons.

Still, Young has kept the team in the playoffs, and two seasons ago, he got the 49ers to within one game of a sixth Super Bowl appearance.

Young and the 49ers have been the symbol of excellence throughout the '90s. Whenever he decides to walk away from the game, it's safe to say we might never see the likes of him or the semblance of a dynasty like the San Francisco 49ers ever again.