2013 Super Bowl: Steve Young is jealous of the 49ers' pistol offense

Former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers and noted football enthusiast Steve Young has been very complimentary of the team during its run to the Super Bowl this season. He was on hand to watch Colin Kaepernick blossom against the Chicago Bears, and had nothing but praise for an offensive line that has jelled into a remarkably effective unit. He may have ulterior motives for his praise as a former player, but looking at the Niner's offensive numbers in recent weeks few can deny that the pistol offense has produced.

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Young even admitted that he is a little jealous.

"[Kaepernick's] got a lot of great weapons with the best offensive line maybe since the 2000 Rams, and maybe then since the '92 or '93 Cowboys," Young said. "I mean, this offensive line is well ahead of most everybody else. That dictates terms both for Alex and for Colin Kaepernick. And then you've got Frank (Gore) and you have weapons, and Vernon (Davis), and now you have this pistol.

"I'm actually really jealous about the pistol. I think it's such a cool thing."

Young would have fit right in the offense if he had been born 20 years later. Not that he was any slouch in the West Coast Offense. On top of being a sharp passer, Young was well-known for his mobility, however. He even played running back when he initially signed to play in the USFL. With a bit of read-option thrown into his game, the Niners' could have been that much more potent in the early 90s.

Kapernick is now 7-2 in nine starts this season, and is just one game away from winning a Lombardi Trophy in just his second year in the league. Apparently that's enough to make even a Hall-of-Famer wonder "What if?"