QB

QB: My Life Behind the Spiral
By Steve Young with Jeff Benedict
Houghton Mifflin, 2016.  389 pgs. Biography

Steve Young is perhaps one of the most famous Mormons alive today.  I pointedly never paid attention to football for most of my life, and even I cannot remember not being familiar with his name.  However, despite his notoriety, this intimate and honest autobiography reveals a side of Young even his biggest fans may not know.

It is easy to view larger than life sports stars as completely self-assured and confident individuals. But the superstar athlete revealed in QB is a determined young man struggling with severe anxiety yet determined to conquer each and every obstacle placed in his chosen path.

I loved hearing the behind-the-scenes stories and the often play-by-play description of pivotal games and challenging moments.  Young’s narrative gives readers a glimpse inside the helmet of a professional quarterback and inside the mind of a man struggling with overwhelming expectations.  His family, his faith, and his will to excel all played huge roles in his many impressive achievements.  A wonderful memoir for fans and non-fans alike.

CG