What is Steve Young’s net worth?

Net Worth:	$200 Million
Age:	63
Born:	October 11, 1961
Gender:	Male
Height:	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Country of Origin:	United States of America
Source of Wealth:	Professional NFL Player
Last Updated:	May 13, 2025

Introduction 

Steve Young is an American former professional NFL player with an estimated net worth of $200 Million.

He was known for his running ability, passing skills on the field, and solid financial instincts, making him an excellent businessman. After retiring from gridiron football, Steve took up commentating and became a highly successful investor.

Quick Facts

• Steve’s scramble with the Minnesota Vikings in 1988 became a feature in a Burger King commercial in 2006.
• He retired from football during the 1999 season.
• Steve got his chance to shine when he replaced Joe Montana in 1991, but he was injured and got replaced.
• His father, Legrande, gave the speech when Steve was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
• Steve was the first 49er to wear a number 8 jersey in the team’s history and was then retired in 2008.

Early Life 

Jon Steven Young was born October 11, 1961, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

At age 2, he was already dribbling a basketball and dressed up as a BYU football player during his first Halloween. He had a passion for exercising and was already doing push-ups at 3.

Steve has two siblings: a sister named Melissa and his brother Mike (who was born on Steve’s birthday). Unfortunately, from a young age, Steve suffered from separation anxiety.

This resulted in his mom having to sit in on classes for a few weeks, and Steve found that he battled to stay over at other people’s houses.

In 1969, Steve moved with his family to Greenwich, Connecticut. He attended Greenwich High School, where he joined the Cardinals football team and played as their quarterback.

Steve was highly successful while playing for his high school team and became co-captain during his senior year.

With his obvious talents and academic success, Steve was recruited by the University of North Carolina. There was no doubt about his running abilities, but initially, it became apparent that his passing skills weren’t up to standard.

However, after loads of practice, Steve was able to perfect his passing abilities.

His college career was very successful, and he soon started breaking records. Steve ended his career on a high, with 592 passes and 18 touchdowns.

His college career resulted in him being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Career 

Because of his early success, he was selected to join the Los Angeles Express during the 1984 USFL Draft.

His first contract was impressive: he had signed a $40 million 10-year contract.

Steve is not a typical athlete but has an exceptional financial brain. This resulted in him accepting the 10-year contract only if the payment was made annually over forty years.

Steve could have joined the NFL in 1984 but wanted to stay with the Los Angeles Express as he wished to continue training under their coaches.

Steve was already breaking records and performing excellently, but the Los Angeles Express was doomed to failure. They had to pay out a $1.4 million settlement as they could not continue to pay the yearly installments on his $40 million contract.

Steve finally joined the NFL and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He briefly spent time with the Buccaneers before transferring to the San Francisco 49ers.

He started as a backup player for the 49ers and eventually became the starting quarterback after Joe Montana was injured.

Steve retired from football during the 1999 season as a result of receiving multiple concussions. This motivated him to voice concerns about concussions during professional sports and how to avoid them.

He has become a legend in the NFL and joins Tom Brady, Colin Kaepernick, Michael Vick, and Josh Allen as one of the best.

You can learn more about Steve Young by checking out his official LinkedIn profile, which lists his current business details.

Career Earnings & Salary

NFL Salary

In 1985, Steve Young signed a six-year rookie contract worth $4.9 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The deal included a $1.1 million signing bonus, which helped Young earn $1.3 million in his first NFL season. Young would then earn $350,000 in the following season before transferring to the San Francisco 49ers in 1987.

He played the four remaining years of his contract with the 49ers before signing a new contract with the team in 1991. His new deal with the 49ers was a two-year contract worth $4.5 million. Young earned $1.98 million in 1991 and $2.5 million in 1992.

In 1993, he signed a five-year extension with San Francisco worth $25.25 million. This deal included a $2.5 million signing bonus, which helped Young earn $8.25 million for the 1993/94 season. Young would earn an average of $4 million/year for the next four years.

In 1998, Young signed a six-year extension worth $49.2 million with the 49ers, which included a $7.5 million signing bonus. However, the deal did not include guarantees, and after two years, the 49ers’ management urged Young to retire. If he did not retire, he would be cut from the team.

Young earned just $16.25 million of the potential $49.2 million before retiring in 2000.

During his NFL career, Steve Young earned $49.4 million.

Estimated Net Worth

Steve Young’s wealth is tied to his investment in the private equity firm HGGC.

He has used his law degree well, transitioning from a well-paid star athlete to the managing director of a highly successful, niche investment firm.

He is the managing partner of HGGC, a private equity firm he co-founded. He sits on the policy investment and executive committees and oversees the acquisition of niche software companies.

Young was previously the Managing Director and co-founder of Sorenson Capital, a private equity firm that operated in the middle market and leveraged buyouts in the Western United States. The partners split in 2007 to start HGGC Capital.

Steve and his partner, Rich Lawson, now control a company with over $2 billion under management and use the skills Steve developed playing football to help manage his day-to-day business.

In 2024, Steve Young’s net worth is estimated to be $200 Million.

How Does Steve Young Spend His Money?

Steve is known for his work as a philanthropist and the founder of the Forever Young Foundation. This non-profit organization helps support children with difficulties, such as financial issues, physical problems, and emotional trauma. 

Forever Young Zones and 8 to 80 Zones are two development initiatives offering cutting-edge interactive play spaces in children’s hospitals and technology and multimedia laboratories for residents of marginalized regions. 

Building and expanding schools in Africa is one of the foundation’s worldwide goals, and it aims to improve African children’s educational, athletic, and health prospects. 

Steve lives in a Palo Alto neighborhood that is popular for housing multiple billionaires worldwide.

He spends a lot of time on the golf course in Scottsdale, Arizona, catching up with friends, doing business, and keeping in contact with his father and brothers. It’s where deals are done, charity events are arranged, and he gets to relax and spend time in the open air.

Steve does not live an ostentatious life and focuses on raising his family in a hardworking, traditional way. You won’t find him wasting money on luxury cars; he prefers to lead a more typical lifestyle.

He believes that if you have children, driving a van is the logical choice. It has all the space for kids to spread out with their school books, sports kit, and enough cup holders to keep control of everyone’s cooldrink safe when on the move.

Despite his wealth, Steve drives himself around, preferring to keep a low profile and live an ordinary life.

Personal Life

Steve met his wife, Babara Graham, on a blind date, and the two connected almost immediately.

She was a model from Scottsdale, Arizona, and neither of them thought of meeting or getting to know each other as they came from totally different worlds.

The couple married in 2000 and had four children: Jackson, Steven, Summer, and Braden Young. When she met him, Steve’s wife knew little about football and was more interested in his views on religion, politics, and social issues. They couldn’t have been more different, but their partnership works wonderfully.

As a Mormon, Steve doesn’t drink alcohol and believes in traditional family values.

The couple have been together for 20 years, and their partnership is stronger than ever.

Awards & Achievements

Here are some of the more memorable moments from Steve Young’s career:

• Steve received the Most Valuable Player in the NFL in 1992 and 1994.
• He was ranked number 63 on the 100 Greatest Football Players list by The Sporting News in 1999.
• Steve was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
• Steve’s number 8 jersey was retired during a halftime ceremony while playing against New England, making him the 11th player in history to earn this honor.
• In 2001, Steve was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Summary 

Steve Young was a highly influential figure in the league and continues to inspire future quarterbacks. He never gave up on his dreams and did everything he could to improve his football abilities when they weren’t up to standard.

With his natural sporting talent and financial abilities, Young made his way to the big leagues and, in the process, became a legend on the football field and in the boardroom.

Steve Young’s net worth is estimated to be $200 Million.

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