(Steve Young lines from scrimmage in Super Bowl XXIX)

1/29/1995 - Young gets monkey off his back

The San Francisco 49ers destroy the San Diego Chargers, 49-26, in Super Bowl XXIX. Receiving the game MVP award, and some well-deserved praise, was future Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, who threw a record six touchdowns and 325 yards. Young had taken over at quarterback in '92 when Joe Montana went down to an injury, and though he had established himself as one of the best QB's in the game, he struggled to live up to Montana's imposing stature. Now that he had won the regular season MVP and Super Bowl MVP in the same year, there was no doubt he was the right man for the job.

"The way (Young) played, he's got to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time," said 49ers coach George Seifert. "To play a game as he did tonight and play the way he did this season ... But the other thing you have to say is that we're fortunate, I'm fortunate, that I've been a part of an organization that had two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time."

With the victory, the 49ers now had the all-time lead in Super Bowls with five (four of which came under Montana). Their lead didn't hold for long; just one season later, the Dallas Cowboys won their third title in four years to tie the Niners with five championships. Both were surpassed in 2009, when the Pittsburgh Steelers won their sixth title in franchise history.

Also on this day:

1996: Magic Johnson signs with the Los Angeles Lakers, officially completing his comeback to professional basketball. He'd suit up for them the next day. [See: January 30th]