Sports Illustrated January 18, 1993 Steve Young's First Cover VF+

Sports Illustrated January 18, 1993 issue is a milestone for NFL history and San Francisco fans, as it features Steve Young’s first-ever appearance on the cover of the magazine.

The Cover: "The 49ers' Steve Young"

The cover features a classic action shot of Young in his red 49ers jersey. The headline, "The Young and the Restless,"was a play on the popular soap opera title, but it specifically referred to Young finally stepping out from the massive shadow of Joe Montana.

• The Story: Written by Rick Telander, the feature article explored Young's journey from being the most expensive "backup" in history to the league's MVP-caliber leader.
• The Context: At the time of this issue, the 49ers were the #1 seed in the NFC and were heading into the NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys. The article focused on Young’s unique playing style—his scrambling ability and left-handed passing—that differentiated him from Montana.

Key Content & Features

While Steve Young dominated the cover, the issue contained several other major stories from a pivotal week in sports:

• The Buffalo Bills’ "Greatest Comeback": The issue covered the legendary AFC Wild Card game where the Bills, led by backup QB Frank Reich, overcame a 32-point deficit to defeat the Houston Oilers.
• Mario Lemieux’s Diagnosis: In a somber turn for the NHL, the issue included reporting on Pittsburgh Penguins star Mario Lemieux, who had just been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This shocked the sports world as Lemieux was in the middle of a historic scoring season.
• College Basketball: Early season "Bracketology" and power rankings, as teams like Duke, Indiana, and Kansaswere battling for the #1 spot.
• Wayne Gretzky’s Return: Coverage of Gretzky returning to the ice for the Los Angeles Kings after missing significant time due to a herniated disk in his back.