Steve Young Sends A Blunt Warning To San Francisco 49ers Despite Their 6-0 Start

Steve Young warns the 49ers that dogfights are coming, despite a perfect 6-0 start.© Image via: X/@NFL_DovKleiman

Perfect records can fool a football team. The San Francisco 49ers know the feeling, and Steve Young refuses to let them get comfortable. Sitting at 6-0 after a 23-17 win over the Washington Commanders, the Niners hold the NFC West in a firm grip. Young spent his week talking about a sloppy second half and a thinning roster. The Hall of Fame quarterback sees trouble hiding behind the unbeaten mark, and he picked a Bay Area radio show to say so. His concern centers on how Kyle Shanahan's team finishes games, not how it starts them.

Steve Young Sees A San Francisco 49ers Problem In The Second Half

San Francisco controlled Monday night until halftime. Then Washington found a pulse, and the defense had to grind out the final stretch. Young noticed. Speaking on KNBR, he said the Niners have earned some swagger, especially with the Los Angeles Rams at 2-4 and the Seattle Seahawks reeling. San Francisco has already beaten both. Then he got to the part that bothered him.

"But let's also recognize out of 12 halves that I've seen played. The last half is what puts me with a little shiver."

Steve Young and Joe Montana back on a 49ers field together https://t.co/iUG9CoasyN

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Think about what that says. A team that wins every game can still lose its edge for thirty minutes, and opponents with film notice. Young also pointed back to the 2023 squad, which he called the best roster in football by far. That group ran teams out of the building. This year's version, he believes, will have to earn its wins in tighter games.

 Kyle Shanahan Needs Nick Bosa And Mike Evans Back For The San Francisco 49ers

Depth is the quiet story here. Nick Bosa has missed several weeks. Mike Evans has played through a string of injuries. The receiver room is short on healthy bodies. Brock Purdy is still playing at an MVP level, which makes the offense look sturdier than it probably is.

Young praised rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton for stepping into the gaps. He also posed a question that sums up the season so far: "Are we a top-five defense?" With Bosa healthy, the answer could be yes. Without him, the Niners are guessing.

Roddy White, the former Atlanta Falcons receiver, offered a sharper take on Shanahan. He praised the coach's offensive mind but doubts his judgment in tense moments. Shanahan has reached three Super Bowls without a win, so that criticism will not fade quickly.

Young wants the focus on the long game. "I don't want to take the foot off the pedal," he said. "I want to sprint to as many wins as we can, and then be as healthy as we possibly can."

The Atlanta Falcons come next in Week 7. A win would be nice, but how the Niners play after halftime may tell us more.

Young still believes the ceiling is high: "If everyone can just stay healthy, we're gonna be in the mix."