Steve Young wrote a book and, because he wants you to buy it, you’re gonna get to hear some of the good stuff hidden within that book’s pages before it officially gets published. One such thing: Young says an NFL official tried to get his daughter a date with Young by calling a penalty to sway the favor of BYU’s most honorable gentleman.
That’s right: Just a decade before he cosplayed as Doug Funnie, Young was getting propositioned for a date by the impartial father of a young BYU co-ed. The expect, published by SI’s MMQB, is below:
Even on the field, I can’t escape the craziness. We play the Colts at home. Partway through the second quarter I’m in the huddle when the head referee taps me on the shoulder. “Can I talk to you for a second?” he says. I step away from the huddle. “Hey, listen, my daughter’s going to BYU,” he whispers. Next thing I know he starts trying to convince me that I should meet his daughter. “I’d like you to take her out,” he says.
I cannot believe this. We’re in the middle of a game! “Oh, okay,” I said. “What’s her name?’’ He tells me and I return to the huddle … Late in the game we’re down 31–23 and I’m trying to mount a comeback. I scramble out of the pocket and take a brutal hit. It causes me to fumble just before the whistle blows to stop the play. I am lying on the ground when the defense recovers the loose ball, all but sealing our defeat. Suddenly out of nowhere a yellow flag lands next to me. The referee whose daughter is headed to BYU calls a personal foul on the defense. First down, Tampa Bay. I get up and brush myself off. Then the ref walks past me and whispers she likes Italian food.
Here’s the box score to that December 15, 1985 game in question if you want to search for any hanky-panky in the play-by-play. Despite the alleged shenanigans, the Colts won, 31-23. Young finished the game going 14-for-25 with 251 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. He added 49 yards and a score on the ground but was also sacked twice. Clearly the official saw more in Young than the Bucs did — he was traded to the 49ers to make way for first-overall pick Vinny Testaverde after the 1986 season.
Either way, I hope someone took that nice girl out for some pasta.
(Via Extra Mustard)
