Is it tougher for a lefty to play quarterback in the NFL?
“I don’t think it matters at all,” says Steve Young of the San Francisco 49’ers. “Football is a very violent, intense game; I don’t think if I threw it two-handed people would see a difference!”
Except for lefties’ passes spiraling the other way, or which hand they use to play-fake, Steve says any difference is really in people’s minds. “Most right handers are jealous of left handers; we’re unique. I identify more with Boomer (Esiason, New York Jets quarterback who’s also a lefty), it’s a right-handed world and we’ve just got to keep fighting.”
Last year, Steve threw better left-handed than any right-handed quarterback in the NFL. He was the league’s top-rated passer – throwing for 3,465 yards and 25 touchdowns with only seven interceptions – and was voted the NFL’s most valuable player.
He says what really matters – more than which hand a quarterback uses to pass – is how well you perform under pressure.
“You get guys who can play quarterback with no rush,” Steve says, “but you’re really making a lot of throws off balance, when your feet aren’t set, and you’re not in a normal throwing position. You’ve got to be able to make that throw; that’s the biggest challenge.”
A really good way to practice passing is to move around and throw on the run. “There’s a big difference between aiming and throwing. You have to be accurate throwing. If you’re practicing with a tire, throw at it going full-speed, and not taking particular aim, to see how accurate you can be.”
Learning to think and move can save a quarterback when things fall apart and they have to ad-lib, like Steve did against the Falcons in September. “I went to throw a pass, but the ball got batted back to me. I ended up catching it and gained six yards! I was in the passing, rushing and receving stats, which I’m very proud of!”
