Steve Young Jan 7, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Steve Young attends the game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Former ESPN NFL analyst Steve Young has a new gig, and it’s a pretty surprising one.

Earlier this month, the Menlo School announced that Young would serve as an assistant coach for the girls’ flag football team in their debut season. The season begins on August 21st and runs through November 4th.

John Paye, who served as the San Francisco 49ers’ third quarterback in 1987 and 1988 behind Joe Montana and Steve Young, will be the team’s head coach. He’s also the head coach of Menlo’s girls’ basketball team.

Young, who was part of ESPN’s layoffs in June, talked up girls’ flag football in Menlo’s statement.

“Flag football will be a wonderful opportunity for young women to show their talent,” Young said. “Football is a great team game that teaches tremendous life lessons. I want to help build women’s flag football.”

Young was a fixture on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown since 2006 before his layoff, along with long-time Countdown host Suzy Kolber, earlier this year.

I doubt this opportunity with Menlo would prevent Young from taking on another media role if he wanted one. But maybe it’ll be a longer-term thing for him. Trent Dilfer became the head coach of Limbscomb Academy in Tennessee in 2019 after ESPN laid him off in 2017. Dilfer was hired as UAB’s head coach this past November.

[Menlo School]

About Joe Lucia

I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.