The strength of three: The 30 greatest trios in NFL history
By Ian Cummings
. Steve Young, Ricky Watters, Jerry Rice. San Francisco 49ers. Second Wave in San Francisco . 7. player. 42
Most cities don’t have the luxury of witnessing back-to-back Pro Football Hall of Fame careers at quarterback. The San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s and 1990s are a very rare exception.
The changing of the guard started in 1991 when Joe Montana was forced to sit out the entire season due to an elbow injury. The next man up was Steve Young, a left-handed passer who’d shown flashes in brief stints as Montana’s backup.
It took a few injuries and a bit of lucky timing, but Young managed to hold onto the starting job for the next season. With Montana now serving as Young’s backup, Young mounted an NFL MVP campaign with Pro Bowl running back Ricky Watters and All-Pro receiver Jerry Rice.
With that NFL MVP bid, Young cemented his status as not only a starter but one of the best players in football. The second wave of 49ers football greatness had officially begun.
From that point on, Young would earn six more Pro Bowl bids, two more All-Pro berths, and an additional NFL MVP award in 1994. With the help of Watters and Rice, he also found his own Super Bowl ring to boast about after the 1994 NFL season.
This trio only earned one ring, but a duo like Young and Rice is worth more than their finger accessories. Both Young and Rice are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and both are credited with having helped revolutionize the game. Watters completed the offense. Together, this trio brought on a new era in San Francisco, one that somehow managed to rival the first.