SAN FRANCISCO _ Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco didn't leave his heart in San Francisco. Instead, in a galaxy far away, he stole the heart of the city by the bay.

He makes his first Pro Bowl appearance Tuesday night (8-ESPN, NFL+) in the capital city of 49ers country, the team his Ravens beat 14 Super Bowls ago because he was the game's MVP that night in New Orleans.

"I don't think much of that game, but flying in here, I thought, 'Oh yeah, we beat these guys,'" Flacco said here this week. "Usually, I get nothing but smiles in my interaction with the 49ers' fans. Listen, you guys have had your fair share of good Super Bowl moments."

It's another reminder of how the Bengals were one of the great teams of the '80s. Two of the Niners' first three titles came against wins against Cincinnati by a combined nine points.

The MVP of one of those games, G.O.A.T wide receiver Jerry Rice, is coaching the NFC Tuesday. The AFC coach, Steve Young, was big in the Flacco household. On Monday, Flacco's mother texted him a snapshot from the '90s with Joseph Vincent wearing Young's 49ers jersey.

"You grow up just watching the shots of (Joe) Montana and those guys and Steve winning those games," Flacco said. "They were built up in my mind as one of the top NFL teams, so to play them and beat them in the Super Bowl was cool."

Young Ideas

When Young threw his last pass in 1999, he was the NFL's all-time completion percentage leader. On Tuesday, he'll be coaching the current leader, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

Young loves the accuracy and that low pulse Burrow possesses in big moments. One of the greatest out-of-the-pocket runners in history, Young would like to see Burrow run more. Not crazy, but …

"I want Joe to threaten the line of scrimmage just a little bit," Young said. "I think Joe can spit out 50 yards. And they're key first downs, maybe a touchdown, Just have it in his mind."

It will be recalled that Young beat the Bengals limping into the end zone on a 15-yard run with 1:08 left in Dave Shula's last game as Cincy head coach. It bailed the Niners out of a 21-0 deficit and rescued Young from three interceptions in a game Bengals quarterback Jeff Blake began with three touchdown passes.

It was the West Coast offense at the peak, that quick passing scheme that began with Paul Brown's first Cincinnati teams and his work with Bengals Ring of Honor member Ken Anderson teaming with his top offensive assistant Bill Walsh, the future head coach of the 49ers.

Walsh told Young that it was his running ability that maxed out the potential of the West Coast.

"That's what Bill told me," Young said. "This offense won't find its full potential until it gets someone to move around with all the timing stuff. 'We'll kill 'em.'"

Anderson, a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist, was an underrated runner, and Young says he deserves a gold jacket. And there's another senior candidate on the ballot that Young endorses: 49ers running back Roger Craig.

Hoop City

Young told Flacco once he saw the AFC team gathered, he couldn't believe the size of the wide receivers and cornerbacks.

"We're a basketball team," said 6-4 Denver wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who is teaming with 6-4 Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins and 6-4 Texans wide receiver Nico Collins.

Although Sutton came into the league two years before Higgins in 2018, he doesn't mind taking something from his film.

"Tee's got a similar body type, so it's fun to see what he does," Sutton said. "He plays the game with such a passion. It looks like it comes so easy to him. I try to steal some stuff from his game. I tell him all the time I'm watching him, trying to figure out what he does really well.

"His ability to catch the ball in any situation. He finds way to catch balls away from his body. Strong catches. Never thinking about the catch. That's a big part of what makes him who he is. He has confidence in his catch."

Of course, Higgins' post partner, 6-0 Ja’Marr Chase, doesn't exactly play like a point guard. Sutton watched them in the huddle and observed, "Most teams don't have two great receivers, but you guys have two No. 1s."

"I would hate to be a defensive coordinator scheming up against those guys," Sutton said. "You've got Ja'Marr who is Ja'Marr … His ability to make a play out of nothing. Throw him a five-yard hitch, even a smoke route, and he'll get the ball down the field and go try and score."

Slants and Screens

Michael Vick, the quarterback who went overall No. 1 in the 2001 NFL Draft, is helping Young coach the AFC quarterbacks. He'll get up close with Burrow, the guy who went No. 1 overall 20 drafts later.

"I love Joe's game. I love what Joe brings to the table," Vick said. "There are some guys out there who have a (Super Bowl) ring waiting for them. He's one of them." …

The two fullbacks in this game caught their first career NFL touchdown pass from Flacco when he was with the Ravens. Baltimore's Patrick Ricard in 2017 and the 49ers' Kyle Juszczyk in 2014 …

Also on that list in the Moscone Center Tuesday is AFC receivers coach Torrey Smith …

Vick got nostalgic when asked about one of the best games of his career at Paycor Stadium in 2007 with the Falcons.

"No, 2006," Vick corrected.

In a 29-27 win, he racked up the second-best passer rating of his career (142.7) on 19 of 27 for 291 yards and three touchdowns while running nine times for 55 yards.

"I remember. I was really locked in that day," Vick said.

But the one pass Vick remembers from that day was the one thrown by his fellow overall No. 1 pick when Carson Palmer threw a 55-yard touchdown pass with 3:41 left to bring the Bengals to within 29-27.

"Carson (could) threw a beautiful deep ball," Vick said. "He threw a post to Chris Henry that was unbelievable." …