Sports
Steve Young explains how 49ers QB Brock Purdy can run off with Super Bowl title
Nearly three decades ago, quarterback Steve Young passed for a record six touchdowns as the San Francisco 49ers won the last of their five Super Bowl championships.
Lost in the stat sheet of that 49ers’ rout of the Chargers was that Young, the preeminent mobile quarterback of his generation, also rushed for 49 yards.
On Sunday, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will lead the 49ers against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium.
In the NFC championship game, Purdy engineered a dramatic comeback victory over the Detroit Lions, passing for a touchdown but perhaps more importantly setting up two touchdowns with timely scrambles that helped him finish with 48 yards rushing.
Young, a Hall of Famer, said Purdy must again use his legs and deceptive speed if the 49ers are to defeat the Chiefs and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
When 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) sees an opening, he is not afraid to tuck the football and run for yardage.
(Scot Tucker / Associated Press)
“I said before the [NFC championship] game, if he could spit out 50 yards that would be great,” Young said. “I think the Super Bowl, at least 50, because he’s going to need to do that.”
Purdy, 24, was the last player selected in the 2022 draft. After 49ers quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance suffered injuries, Purdy ascended to the starting role for the final six games of his rookie season and helped lead the 49ers to the NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Purdy suffered an elbow injury early in the game, however, and the 49ers lost, 31-7.
After undergoing surgery, there were doubts about whether Purdy would be ready to lead a team that was on a mission to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2019-20 season, when they lost to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV.
But Purdy became a most valuable player candidate by passing for 31 touchdowns, with 11 interceptions, for a star-studded team that finished 12-5 and earned the top seed in the NFC.
Purdy led a comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round, and then did it again as the 49ers overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat the Lions.
Purdy’s two 21-yard scrambles keyed the 34-31 victory over the Lions.
“It was the difference between winning and losing,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said.
The 49ers trailed, 21-14, in the third quarter before Purdy’s run set up Christian McCaffrey’s game-tying touchdown run. In the fourth quarter, Purdy’s scramble set up Elijah Mitchell’s short touchdown run that increased the 49ers lead to 34-24.
“My job is to distribute the ball to guys that are open,” Purdy said afterward. “Then if something is not there, especially in this kind of game, you got to find a way. … I had to do it, so I did it.”
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young (8) ran for 49 yards in the Super Bowl against the San Diego Chargers.
(Andrew Innerarity / Associated Press)
That was similar to how Young operated under legendary 49ers coach Bill Walsh. Young said there were occasions he ran for touchdowns and Walsh scolded him for deciding to scramble before the play completely developed.
“It was all about whether you exhausted the play or not,” Young said, adding that Walsh would say, ‘When you go when you’ve exhausted it, then you’ve given the play its full measure. And that’s what the team needs, that’s what championship football needs.’”
The Chiefs know well the value of a quarterback that can make plays with his legs.
In their Super Bowl LVII victory over the Eagles last year, Mahomes passed for 182 yards and three touchdowns but also rushed six times for 44 yards, including a 26-yard run late in the fourth quarter that set up the game-winning field goal.
Purdy, at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, is not as big as the 6-2, 225-pound Mahomes or Buffalo’s 6-5, 237-pound Josh Allen, but he still can make plays.
“You have to make decisions,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said when asked about Purdy the runner. “Do you commit one pass rusher to him scrambling? If you don’t commit a guy like that, is he going to hurt you like he did in both playoff games?
“As effective as he is throwing and the weapons that he has, when you add the fact that he can tuck it and run, it makes it that much more challenging.”
Especially for defensive backs.
“Brock Purdy is definitely someone that people don’t look at as a great runner,” Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie said, “but when you flip on the tape, I mean, dude gets out of the pocket, dude knows how to get out of a DB’s tackle, get out of the arms of D-lineman.”
George Kittle, the 49ers’ star tight end said Purdy “scampers” when he breaks loose.
“You ever see one of those little water dragons run across the water?” Kittle said. “Like, that’s what I envision every time he’s running with the football.”
Shanahan said Purdy has a “natural ability” to know when to go off schedule and make a play. If Purdy is successful doing that against the Chiefs, the 49ers could win their first title since the 1994-95 season.
“No matter what happens,” Shanahan said, “he gives you a chance.”
Staff writer Sam Farmer contributed to this story.
Sports
Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Becky Lynch entered an atmosphere no other WWE women’s superstar has ever reached as she won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over AJ Lee on Saturday night at WrestleMania 42.
Lynch became the first person to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times after she pinned Lee. She first won the title against Lyra Valkyria in June 2025 and then again against Maxxine Dupri in November.
Becky Lynch celebrates with the belt after defeating AJ Lee during their women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
She dropped the belt to Lee at the Elimination Chamber, sparking a monthslong feud with her.
Lee gave Lynch the chance at the title in the weeks prior to WrestleMania 42. But it appeared Lee played right into Lynch’s plans. Despite arguing with referee Jessica Carr for most of the match, Lynch was able to tactfully tear down a rope buckle and use it to her advantage.
Lynch hit Lee with a Manhandle Slam and pinned her for the win.
WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’
AJ Lee reacts after losing to Becky Lynch in their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
It’s the second straight year Lynch will leave Las Vegas as champion. She returned to WWE at WrestleMania 41, teaming with Valkyria, to win the women’s tag titles. She will now leave Allegiant Stadium as the women’s intercontinental champion.
Lynch is now a seven-time women’s champion, three-time women’s intercontinental champion and two-time tag team champion.
Becky Lynch withstands AJ Lee during their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Lee’s reign as champion ended really before it could really begin. WrestleMania 42 was her first appearance at the event in 11 years. It’s unclear where Lee will go from here.
The Clippers’ season has come to an end but better than anyone expected. No consolation but a great job by head coach Tyronn Lue for guiding the Clippers from a disastrous 6-21 start and finishing with more than 40 wins.
Coach Lue led the team, overcoming major obstacles throughout the season with a player investigation, injuries, internal strife and major roster changes at the trade deadline. As usual for Clipper fans, wait till next year.
Wayne Muramatsu
Cerritos
The Clippers are the NBA’s version of Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle With You.” Yes, they have had 15 straight seasons of playing .500 or better, and owner Steve Ballmer has brought them respectability, but for their entire 56-year existence — which has contained many clowns and jokers — they still have never [attained] their goal of winning (or even reaching) the NBA Finals.
Ken Feldman
Tarzana
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LAS VEGAS – Paul Walter Hauser is an actor who has been in “The Naked Gun,” “Blackbird,” and “Richard Jewell.” But on Friday night at Maple Leaf Pro’s first U.S. event, MLP Multiverse, there was no acting going on.
Hauser squared off against QT Marshall in a sin city street fight at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It was the final show of Slam Fest. The two pro wrestlers pulled out all the stops and left the ring in complete disarray.
Paul Walter Hauser competed against QT Marshall at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
It was a rematch of their brawl at Ring of Honor’s Death Before Dishonor event. Marshall went on the attack first, throwing in all kinds of foreign objects into the ring, including a piece of wood wrapped with barbed wire, a table, a cane, chairs and even a door was brought into the match.
Hauser was able to regain momentum in the match. He set up the barbed-wire object in the corner. Marshall countered and was trying to whip Hauser into the barbed wire. However, Hauser stopped himself. As Marshall tried to take Hauser by surprise, the movie star avoided Marshall and tossed him into the barbed wire.
Marshall was busted open, but wasn’t done. Hauser was trying to inflict more pain. He set up a table near one corner of the ring and poured thumbtacks on top of it. Marshall was able to powerbomb Hauser through the tacked table.
Paul Walter Hauser is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. (Nathan Congleton/NBC)
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Hauser was left with thumbtacks in his back and one in his head. He managed to power through and put Marshall into a sharpshooter. Marshall tapped out. Hauser picked up the victory.
Hauser got his start in pro wrestling in 2023 at Pro Wrestling Revolver. He worked his way through appearances at All Elite Wrestling before he signed with Major League Wrestling in 2024.
He’s currently Progress Wrestling’s Progress proteus champion.
Elsewhere, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) world heavyweight champion Hechicero defended his championship against Jonathan Gresham, Maple Leaf Pro Canadian women’s champion Gisele Shaw fended off Shotzi Blackheart, Persephone and surprise entrant Killer Kelly to keep the title.
Mistico, Mascara Dorada and Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz at Maple Leaf Pro Multiverse on April 18, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
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The show started with Subculture, the tag team duo of Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster, defeated Vaughn Vertigo and Guy Cool. The Demand’s Ricochet, Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona defeated Sidney Akeem, Michael Oku and Rich Swaan, Steve Borden defeated Kiran Gray and Mistico, Mascara Dorada, Amazing Red defeated The Rascalz – Desmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz and Myron Reed.
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