Young credits coaches during halftime ceremony

SAN FRANCISCO — Hall of Famer Steve Young took part in a 49ers halftime ceremony to have his No. 8 jersey officially retired.

Young was surrounded by family and many former teammates when he addressed the crowd at Candlestick Park.

“Man, I am a lucky guy,” Young said. “I’ve been coached by the best. ... How can I not be a decent player being coached by the greatest of all time?”

Young mentioned the coaching of the late Bill Walsh, as well as George Seifert, Steve Mariucci, Mike Shanahan, Mike Holmgren, Marc Trestman and Marty Mornhinweg.

“I don’t know your favorite memory, as I proudly wore No. 8 in this stadium,” Young said, “whether it was the run against Minnesota, the touchdown against the Packers, maybe the championship game against the Cowboys. But for me, the memories are innumerable.

“I’m grateful to everyone for all the memories that you’ve given me and my family.”

Young and his wife, Barbara, are expecting their fourth child in mid-November.

One of the pivotal plays in the game occurred late in the first half. On a third-and-6 from the 49ers’ 10, defensive end Justin Smith tossed Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel to the turf and appeared to have a 7-yard sack to force a field goal.

But referee Mike Carey called Smith for a personal foul — grabbing the back of Cassel’s helmet to assist him in making the tackle.

“Whatever. I don’t agree with it,” Smith said. “I know I had him by the neck. That’s part of the body. That’s like grabbing his arm. I sure as heck didn’t grab his facemask. I don’t know.”

Said 49ers coach Mike Nolan: “They said he put his hand on the back of his helmet as he was pulling him backward and said that you can’t do that. They said that’s a personal foul. I’ve never heard that before. It’s not as if it assisted in tackling him, nor did it hinder the player’s safety.”

The Patriots were awarded a first down. Two plays later, Kevin Faulk scored on a 2-yard run with :06 remaining in the first half to give New England a 17-14 lead.

Linebacker Tully Banta-Cain saw his first game action of the season, and recorded three tackles and a half-sack against his former team. Banta-Cain was active, in part, because Manny Lawson was out with a hamstring strain. The 49ers deactivated Roderick Green for the game.

“I always feel like I have something to prove every time I step out on the field,” Banta-Cain said. “But it was a little more intense this week, being that I hadn’t played in a while. The reason I feel that I’m here is to play and to make plays. So, hopefully, regardless of the loss, they will see that I’m capable of playing well.”

Linebacker Patrick Willis was credited with a season-high 18 tackles. Afterward, he declined to speak with the media.

Punter Andy Lee uncorked a career-best 82-yard punt in the second quarter. That ties him for the second-longest punt in 49ers history with Tommy Davis (1962). Larry Barnes holds the franchise record for longest punt with an 86-yarder in 1957.

Receiver Isaac Bruce caught two of J.T. O’Sullivan’s three touchdown passes.

“Unity is important,” Bruce said. “We have to make sure that the purpose of everybody on the team is the same and that we play with a winning attitude.”