Former Cougar, Ute Play Catch Before Monday Night Football
Oct 3, 2022, 4:50 PM
ESPN Monday Night Football commentators Steve Young (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) and Alex Smith (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – A former BYU quarterback tossed the pigskin around with a former University of Utah quarterback prior to the Week 4 Monday Night Football game.
The San Francisco 49ers are slated to host the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Monday, October 3.
A couple of hours before kickoff, BYU legend Steve Young and former Utah great Alex Smith played catch with a football on the field at the home of their old NFL team.
Both men, who now work together at ESPN, played for the Niners during their outstanding NFL careers.
Former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III and fellow ESPN broadcaster Suzy Kolber threw the football around at Levi’s Stadium. The pregame catch of catch is a typical occurrence before the Monday Night Football broadcast. However, this version featured two great quarterbacks that played at rival schools.
Steve Young, Alex Smith, RG3 and Suzy Kolber throw around the ball before MNF pic.twitter.com/J9ZtLfRK1F
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) October 3, 2022
Young, Smith, Griffin, and Kolber are part of ESPN’s weekly coverage of Monday Night Football.
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The Rams vs. 49ers game kicks off at 6:15 p.m. (MDT) and will be televised on ESPN and ESPN2.
About Steve Young
After a standout career at Greenwich High School in Connecticut, Young was a star quarterback at BYU from 1981-83. During his time with the Cougars, Young won the Davey O’Brien Award, Sammy Baugh Trophy, and was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.
He finished his college career with 7,733 passing yards and 56 touchdowns with a 65.2 completion rate. He also ran the ball for 1,084 yards and 18 touchdowns.
During the 1984 USFL Draft, Young was selected with the No. 11 overall pick by the Los Angeles Express. He played for the Express until 1985. In 1985, Young moved to the NFL and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was with the Bucs until 1986. In 1987, the Buccaneers traded the former BYU star to the San Francisco 49ers.
After serving as Joe Montana’s backup, Young became the Niners’ starting quarterback and led the team to three Super Bowl championships before retiring in 1999. He finished his career with three Super Bowl rings, a Super Bowl MVP award, and a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
325 yards and SIX touchdowns 😳
Steve Young SHOWED OUT in Super Bowl XXIX.
Greatest Super Bowl QB performance ever? pic.twitter.com/FxCzftfLVf
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) August 7, 2019
About Alex Smith
Following a high school career at Helix High in California, Smith was a star for the Utes. He led Utah to an undefeated record and a Fiesta Bowl victory in his final collegiate season.
He went on to become the No. 1 overall pick by the 49ers. The former Utah standout played the first seven seasons of his NFL career with the Bay Area franchise.
During his career, Smith played for the Niners, Kansas City Chiefs, and Washington Football Team (now the Commanders). He’s well known for battling back from a life-threatening injury and playing in the 2020 season.
Standing O from the Smith Fam 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/h6TTMSQRWu
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) October 11, 2020
The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft finished his 16-year career throwing for 35,650 yards and 199 touchdowns with a 62.6 completion rate.
Smith was named to the Pro Bowl three times during his career. He led the league in passer rating in 2017 and received the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2020.
Kyle Ireland is a Locals in the NFL Insider for sports.ksl.com and co-host of the Yards After College Podcast. Follow him on Twitter (@kyleireland) and Instagram (@kyleirelandksl).
