Bryant Young facts for kids
Young in 2022
|
|||||||||||
| No. 97 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive tackle Defensive end |
||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born: | January 27, 1972 Chicago Heights, Illinois, U.S. |
||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 291 lb (132 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Bloom (Chicago Heights, Illinois) |
||||||||||
| College: | Notre Dame (1989–1993) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1994 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7 | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| As player: | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| As coach: | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||
|
Pro Football Hall of Fame
|
|||||||||||
Bryant Colby Young (born January 27, 1972) is a former American football player. He was a defensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The 49ers picked him in the first round of the 1994 NFL draft. Bryant Young was honored by being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
Contents
Early Life of Bryant Young
Bryant Young was born in Chicago Heights, Illinois. He went to Bloom High School in Chicago Heights. There, he showed great talent in football.
Bryant Young's College Football Journey
Bryant Young was a key player for Notre Dame. He started for three years and played all four years from 1990 to 1993. In his senior year, he was named an All-American. This means he was recognized as one of the best college players in the country. That year, he made 6.5 sacks and 67 tackles.
As a junior, he was also recognized as an Honorable Mention All-American. He had 7.5 sacks that season. Bryant Young finished college in 1994. He earned a degree in marketing from Notre Dame.
Bryant Young's Amazing NFL Career
The San Francisco 49ers chose Bryant Young in the first round of the 1994 NFL draft. He was the seventh player picked overall. In 1995, he was named Honorable Mention All-Pro. This means he was one of the top players at his position.
His best year for statistics was 1996. He had 84 tackles and 11.5 sacks. He also scored two safeties, which is a special play in football. This great performance earned him his first trip to the Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl is an all-star game for the best NFL players.
In 1997, his sack numbers went down. But he was still a very strong player on the defensive line. He helped the 49ers have the best defense in the NFL that year. Many people thought he was the best defensive tackle in the league.
Super Bowl Champion and Comeback Star
In 1998, Bryant Young was having another great season. He had 9.5 sacks before he suffered a serious leg injury. This happened during a game against the New York Giants. The injury was very tough, but Bryant Young worked hard to recover.
He made an amazing comeback in 1999. He played the whole season and had over 70 tackles and 11 sacks. He also scored another safety. For his incredible return, he won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. This award goes to a player who overcomes a challenge to play well again.
Bryant Young played 14 seasons with the 49ers. He had 89.5 career sacks. This puts him among the top defensive tackles in NFL history for sacks. He also holds the 49ers' team record for career safeties, with 3. He retired after the 2007 season. He was the last player from the Super Bowl XXIX winning team still playing.
Hall of Fame Recognition
Bryant Young was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1990s. This team includes the best players from that decade. He became eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2020, he was a semi-finalist for the Hall of Fame. Finally, in 2022, he was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This is one of the highest honors for an NFL player.
He also won the 49ers' Len Eshmont Award eight times. This is the team's most important award. It is given to the player who shows the most "inspirational and courageous play." No other player has won this award more than twice.
Coaching After Playing Football
After his playing career, Bryant Young became a coach. On January 21, 2010, he was hired as the defensive line coach at San Jose State University.
Then, on January 14, 2011, he became the defensive line coach at the University of Florida.
Later, he joined Dan Quinn again. Quinn was his former coach with the 49ers. Bryant Young became the defensive line coach for the Atlanta Falcons on February 8, 2017. He coached there for two seasons. He then decided to resign to spend more time with his family.
Bryant Young's Family Life
Bryant Young is a Christian. He is married to Kristin M. Young. They have six children together.
