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“I’m Not Gonna Cash My Check”: Steve Young Left 16 Paychecks Worth Millions Sitting in a Drawer Before Reluctantly Giving In for 49ers Audit

For most NFL players, payday is the best part of the week. They even begin spending right away. But for former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young, it was a different story. Getting a paycheck while being on the sideline…

By Krushna Prasad Pattnaik · Essentially Sports

Published: Tuesday, 10 November 2026 at 11:40 AM

Key Things to Know

Steve Young left 16 paychecks uncashed in a drawer while serving as Joe Montana's backup on the 49ers.
The uncashed checks totaled approximately $4 million, according to Graham Bensinger.
49ers general manager Carmen Policy contacted Young to resolve the issue ahead of tax filing and team audits.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young revealed that he once left 16 paychecks uncashed in a drawer because he felt he did not deserve them while sitting on the bench. Appearing on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Young explained that he refused to cash the checks while backing up Joe Montana, calling his past actions immature.

The uncashed checks, estimated to total around $4 million, were eventually recovered after team general manager Carmen Policy contacted Young during tax season. Policy warned that the missing checks were causing tax complications for the team, prompting Young to ask teammate Harris Barton to retrieve and send them so they could be filed.

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