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Joe Montana



 
 
For the actor with a similarly pronounced name, see Joe Mantegna
Joe Mantegna

Joseph Anthony ?Joe? Mantegna, Jr. is an United States Tony Award-winning actor, film producer, writer and television director. He is best known for his roles in box-office hits such as Three Amigos , The Godfather Part III , Baby's Day Out , Forget Paris , Up Close & Personal , and The Simpsons Movie ....
.


Joseph Clifford Montana, Jr., (born June 11, 1956), nicknamed Joe Cool and Comeback Joe, is a retired American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 football
American football

American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive team sport known for mixing strategy with physical play....
 player whose professional career in the National Football League
National Football League

The National Football League is the Major North American professional sports leagues American football Sports league in the United States. It is an unincorporated 501#501.28c.29.286.29 association controlled by its members....
 (NFL) spanned the late 1970s through the mid-1990s. Montana started his NFL career in 1979
1979 NFL season

The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the St....
 with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team. The team plays its home games in , while the club's headquarters and practice facility are located in Santa Clara, California....
, where he played quarterback
Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American football and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the center , in the middle of the Lineman ....
 (QB) for the next 14 seasons.






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Encyclopedia


For the actor with a similarly pronounced name, see Joe Mantegna
Joe Mantegna

Joseph Anthony ?Joe? Mantegna, Jr. is an United States Tony Award-winning actor, film producer, writer and television director. He is best known for his roles in box-office hits such as Three Amigos , The Godfather Part III , Baby's Day Out , Forget Paris , Up Close & Personal , and The Simpsons Movie ....
.


Joseph Clifford Montana, Jr., (born June 11, 1956), nicknamed Joe Cool and Comeback Joe, is a retired American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 football
American football

American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive team sport known for mixing strategy with physical play....
 player whose professional career in the National Football League
National Football League

The National Football League is the Major North American professional sports leagues American football Sports league in the United States. It is an unincorporated 501#501.28c.29.286.29 association controlled by its members....
 (NFL) spanned the late 1970s through the mid-1990s. Montana started his NFL career in 1979
1979 NFL season

The 1979 NFL season was the 60th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XIV when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the St....
 with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team. The team plays its home games in , while the club's headquarters and practice facility are located in Santa Clara, California....
, where he played quarterback
Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American football and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the center , in the middle of the Lineman ....
 (QB) for the next 14 seasons. He spent the 1993 and 1994 seasons, his final two years in the NFL, with the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs are a member of the AFC West of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. While a member of the 49ers, Montana started four Super Bowl
Super Bowl

In professional American football, the Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League . The game and its ancillary festivities constitute Super Bowl Sunday....
 games and the team won all of them. In 2000
2000 NFL season

The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants....
, Montana was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, Ohio, United States, on September 7 1963 with 17 charter inductees....
.

In 1989
1989 NFL season

The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement....
, and again in 1990
1990 NFL season

The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period....
, the Associated Press
Associated Press

The Associated Press is an Media of the United States news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, Radio station and Television station stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staffers....
 (AP), an American news agency
News agency

A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to organizations in the news trade: newspapers, magazines, and All-news radio and News broadcasting broadcasters....
, named Montana the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP), and Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated is an United States sports magazine owned by Mass media conglomerate Time Warner. It has over 3 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men, 19% of the adult males in the United States....
 magazine named Montana the 1990 "Sportsman of the Year
Sportsman of the Year

Since its inception in 1954, Sports Illustrated magazine has annually presented the "Sportsman of the Year" award to "the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement." An overwhelming majority of the winners have been American....
". Four years earlier, in 1986
1986 NFL season

The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos....
, Montana won the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award

The National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award has been given out after every season since 1972 by Pro Football Weekly and since 1998 by the Associated Press....
. As a result of his high level of play, Montana appeared in eight Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl

In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the AFL-NFL Merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, matching players in the American Football Conference against those in the National Football Conference ....
s, the NFL's version of an all-star game
All-star game

An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league. The players are often chosen by a popular vote of fans of the sport and the game often occurs at the halfway point of the regular season, although this is not the case for some all-star games ....
. Montana had the highest passer rating
Passer rating

Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football....
 in the National Football Conference
National Football Conference

The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . The NFC was created after the league AFL-NFL Merger with the American Football League in 1970....
 (NFC) five times (1981
1981 NFL season

The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals....
, 1984
1984 NFL season

The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Indianapolis Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
, 1985
1985 NFL season

The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots....
, 1987
1987 NFL season

The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day National_Football_League_Players_Association#The_1987_strike_and_decertification reduced the 16-game season to 15....
, and 1989); and, in both 1987 and 1989, Montana had the highest passer rating in the entire NFL.

Noted for his ability to remain calm under pressure, Montana helped his teams to 31 fourth quarter come-from-behind wins. In the closing moments of the 1981 NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game

The NFC Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States....
 and Super Bowl XXIII
Super Bowl XXIII

Super Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 NFL season....
, Montana threw game-winning touchdown
Touchdown

A touchdown is the primary method of scoring in American football and Canadian football....
 passes
Forward pass

In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction of the opponent's end line....
. The touchdown at the end of the championship game was so memorable that sports journalists
Sports journalism

Sports journalism is a form of journalism that reports on sports topics and Competition#Sports competitions.While the sports department within some newspapers has been mockingly called the toy department, because sports journalists do not concern themselves with the 'serious' topics covered by the news desk, sports coverage has grown in...
, fans
Fan (person)

A fan, aficionado, or supporter is someone who has an intense, occasionally overwhelming liking and enthusiasm for a sporting club, person , group of persons, company, product, work of art, idea, or fashion....
, and many others, refer to the play simply as "The Catch"
The Catch (American football)

The Catch refers to what was the winning touchdown reception by Dwight Clark off a Joe Montana pass in the January 10, 1982 NFC Championship Game between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers....
. The touchdown in the closing moments of Super Bowl XXIII came at the end of a 92-yard drive
American football

American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive team sport known for mixing strategy with physical play....
.

The 49ers retired the number 16, the jersey number Montana wore while with the team. In 1993, Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs and led the franchise to its first AFC Championship Game
AFC Championship Game

The American Football Conference Championship Game, otherwise known as AFC Championship Game, is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States....
 in January 1994. In 1994, Montana earned a spot on the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team

The National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team was chosen by a selection committee of media and league personnel in 1994....
; he is also a member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team

The NFL 1980s All-Decade Team was chosen by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team was composed of outstanding performers in the National Football League in the 1980s....
. In 1999, editors
Literary editor

A literary editor is an editing in a newspaper, magazine or similar publication who deals with aspects concerning literature and books, especially reviews....
 at The Sporting News
The Sporting News

Sporting News is an United States-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886 in sports, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball ? so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"....
 ranked Montana third on their list of "Football's 100 Greatest Players." Also in 1999, ESPN
ESPN

ESPN is a United States cable television Television network dedicated to Broadcasting of sports events and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day....
 named Montana the 25th greatest athlete of the 20th century
SportsCentury

SportsCentury is an ESPN biography program that reviews the people and athletic events that defined sports in North America throughout the 20th and 21st centuries....
. In 2006
2006 NFL season

The 2006 season of the National Football League was the 87th season played by the major professional American football league in the United States....
, Sports Illustrated rated him the number one clutch quarterback of all-time.

Biography


Early life

Montana was born in New Eagle, Pennsylvania
New Eagle, Pennsylvania

New Eagle is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 2,262 at the 2000 census....
, a borough of Washington County
Washington County, Pennsylvania

Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. As of 2000, the population was 202,897....
 located in the western portion of the state. He grew up in nearby Monongahela
Monongahela, Pennsylvania

Monongahela is a city in Washington County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 4,761 at the 2000 census....
, a coal mining
Coal mining

Coal mining is the extraction or removal of coal from the earth by mining. When coal is used for fuel in power generation it is referred to as steaming or thermal coal....
 town 25 miles south of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania with a population of 312,819. The population of the seven-county metropolitan area is 2,462,571....
. His grandparents emigrated to Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania

Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center....
 from Sicily
Sicily

Sicily is an Autonomous regions with special statute of Italy. Of all the regions of Italy, Sicily covers the largest land area at 25,708 km? and currently has just over five million inhabitants....
.

Born to Joseph and Theresa Montana, Joe Montana expressed an early interest in sports, and it was Montana Sr. who first taught him the game of football. Montana started to play youth football when he was just eight years old, aided in part by his father. Montana Sr. listed his son as a nine-year-old so that Montana could meet the league's minimum age requirement.

During his formative years, Montana took an interest in baseball
Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport of nine players each. The goal of baseball is to score run by hitting a thrown Baseball with a baseball bat and touching a series of four markers called base arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond. Players on one team take turns hitting against...
 and basketball
Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a basketball through a 10 feet  high hoop under organized rules....
, in addition to football. In fact, basketball was Montana's favorite sport as a child. Montana Sr. started a local basketball team that his son played on. The team practiced and played at the local armory and played their games in various regional tournaments.

Montana received his primary education
Primary education in the United States

As part of a complete Education in the United States in the United States, the first 6 years of schooling are classified as primary. In 2001 there were 92,858 elementary schools in the United States, a figure which includes all schools that teach students from grades one through eight....
 at Waverly Elementary and his secondary education
Secondary education in the United States

As part of Education in the United States in the United States, secondary education usually covers Educational stages 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 through 12....
 at Finleyville Junior High (Known as Finleyville Middle School) and Ringgold High School
Ringgold High School

Ringgold High School may refer to:*Ringgold High School in Ringgold, Georgia*Ringgold High School in Ringgold, Louisiana*Ringgold High School in Monongahela, Pennsylvania...
. While at Ringgold, Montana played football, baseball, and basketball. Montana showed potential as a basketball player and helped Ringgold win the 1973 WPIAL
Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League

The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League is an interscholastic sport association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association....
 Class AAA boy's basketball championship. He was so good that during his senior
Twelfth grade

Twelfth grade, , is the name given to the final year of secondary education in the United States and many other nations. In 98% of American High Schools, students are classified by grade ....
 year, North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public university, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States....
 (NCSU) offered Montana a basketball scholarship
Scholarship

A scholarship is an award of access to an institution, or a Student financial aid award for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award....
. Although Montana turned down the scholarship, he seriously considered NCSU because of a promise that he could play both basketball and football for the university.

Montana spent his first two years on the high school football team as a backup. Finally, in his junior
Eleventh grade

Eleventh grade is the eleventh, and for some countries final, grade of secondary schools. Students are from 16 to 17 years of age, depending on the country....
 year, Montana earned the job as the Ringgold Rams starting quarterback. Montana held the role for the final two years of his high school career; after his senior year, Parade
Parade (magazine)

PARADE is a national Sunday newspaper magazine, distributed in more than 400 newspapers in the United States. It was founded in 1941 and is owned by Advance Publications....
 named him to their All-American team.

One of Montana's most notable performances during his high school years was during his senior year in a game against Monessen High School. Although Monessen scored a game-tying touchdown in the final moments, Montana's performance garnered attention from college recruiters, particularly those from the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a private Roman Catholic Church University located in Notre Dame, Indiana, USA. It was founded by Father Edward Sorin, Congregation of Holy Cross, who was also the school's first president....
. In the game, Montana completed 12 passes in 22 attempts, threw for 223 yards, and scored three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. Montana was also an all-state basketball player in Pennsylvania and was offered a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public university research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, North Carolina, United States....
 by Dean Smith
Dean Smith

Dean Edwards Smith is a retired Coach of men?s college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Kansas, Smith has been called a ?coaching legend? by the Basketball Hall of Fame....
. However, football was his first love.

Notre Dame eventually offered Montana a scholarship, and he accepted. One contributing factor in Montana's choice of colleges was that Terry Hanratty
Terry Hanratty

Terrence Hugh "Terry" Hanratty is a former professional American football quarterback in the NFL during the 1960s and 1970s and earned two Super Bowl rings as the backup quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, his hometown team....
, his boyhood idol, had attended Notre Dame. In 2006, thirty-two years after Montana had graduated, Ringgold renamed their football stadium "Joe Montana Stadium".

College career

When Montana arrived at Notre Dame in the fall of 1974, the football program was coached by Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian

Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former United States collegiate American football coach. He served as head coach for three teams, most notably the University of Notre Dame team from 1964-1974....
. Under Parseghian's tenure, Notre Dame had won the NCAA national championship in 1966 and 1973. As such, Parseghian's success as a coach helped him recruit highly talented players. Though Montana was a talented player, he was the seventh-string quarterback in 1974. Additionally, he played just a small number in freshman team games. Montana's first significant contributions to the Notre Dame football team came during his sophomore year.

On December 15, 1974, Parseghian resigned due to health problems. The university hired Dan Devine
Dan Devine

Dan Devine was a American football coach who served as head coach at three colleges and also served for four years as head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1971 to 1974....
 to replace Parseghian. Despite his limited playing time the previous year, Montana performed well during the 1975 spring practice. Devine was so impressed that he later told his wife: "I'm gonna start Joe Montana in the final spring game." When she replied, "Who's Joe Montana?", Devine said: "He's the guy who's going to feed our family for the next few years."

Devine did not feel Montana was ready to be the full-time starter in 1975; however, Montana played a key role in Notre Dame's victory over the University of North Carolina. During the game, which was played in Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , the oldest state-supported university in the U.S....
, Montana came in with 5:11 left to play. At the time, North Carolina led by a score of 14 to six. Montana spent one minute and two seconds of game time on the field. In that time, he had 129 passing yards and Notre Dame won the game 21-14.

Against Air Force
Air Force Falcons football

The Air Force Falcons are the college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado....
, Notre Dame's next opponent, Montana again entered the game in the fourth quarter. Although Air Force led 30–10, Notre Dame won the game 31-30. After the win against North Carolina, Devine said that Moose Krause
Moose Krause

Edward Walter "Moose" Krause was a well-known collegiate basketball player during the 1930s....
, the Notre Dame Athletic Director
Athletic director

Athletic director is a position at many United States colleges and university, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, which oversees the work of the coach and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs....
, said that the game was the "greatest comeback I've ever seen." After the game against Air Force, Krause was quoted as saying: "This one's better than last week." In those two games, Montana had demonstrated his ability to perform well in high pressure circumstances. That characteristic would prove valuable, and Montana relied on it throughout his football career.

Before the start of the 1976 season, Montana separated his shoulder.and was unable to compete that year, earning him one more year of eligibility than other members of his scholarship class.

When the 1977 season began, Montana was the third quarterback listed on the team's depth chart
Depth chart

In sports, a depth chart is used to show the placements of the starting players and the secondary players. Generally a starting player will be listed first or on top while a back-up will be listed below....
, behind Rusty Lisch
Rusty Lisch

Russell John Lisch is a former professional American football player who played quarterback for five seasons for the Arizona Cardinals and Chicago Bears...
 and Gary Forystek. Notre Dame won their season opener and then lost to the University of Mississippi
Ole Miss Rebels

University of Mississippi college athletics teams, originally known as the "Mississippi Flood", were re-named the Rebels in 1935 and compete in the competitive twelve-member Southeastern Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I....
 by a score of 20–13. Montana did not appear in either of those games. In their third game of the season, Notre Dame played Purdue University. Lisch started and was then replaced by Forystek. In one play, Forystek suffered a broken vertebra
Vertebra

A vertebra is an individual bone in the flexible column that defines vertebrate animals. The vertebral column encases and protects the spinal cord, which runs from the base of the cranium down the dorsal side of the animal until reaching the pelvis....
, a broken clavicle
Clavicle

In human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is classified as a flat bone that makes up part of the shoulder girdle . It receives its name from the Latin clavicula because the bone rotates along its axis like a key when the shoulder is Abduction ....
, and a severe concussion; it was the last play of Forystek's sports career. Devine inserted Lisch back into the game before Montana finally had the opportunity to play. Montana entered with approximately 11 minutes remaining and Purdue leading 24-14; he threw for 154 yards and one touchdown, and Notre Dame won the game 31-24.

After the game, Devine made Montana the first quarterback on the depth chart and the team won their remaining nine games. In their final game of the season, Notre Dame defeated the number one ranked University of Texas by a score of 38–10 in the 1978 Cotton Bowl
Cotton Bowl (game)

The Cotton Bowl Classic, commonly known as the Cotton Bowl, is a United States college football bowl game that was played annually since 1937 at its Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas....
. Notre Dame's record of eleven wins and one loss earned them the NCAA national title, the only title the school won while Devine was coach.

The following year, Montana helped Notre Dame to a come from behind win against the University of Pittsburgh. He almost pulled off a second one against the University of Southern California, Notre Dame's primary rival. Trailing 24–6 in the second half, Montana led a fourth-quarter rally to put Notre Dame ahead, 25–24 with 45 seconds remaining, only to see the Trojans win, 27–25, on a last-second field goal.

1979 Cotton Bowl
On January 1, 1979, Notre Dame played the University of Houston in that year's Cotton Bowl. Montana's performance in that game is one of the most celebrated of his entire football career; the circumstances of the game have led to it being referred to as the "Chicken Soup Game".

Montana fell ill during the game, received warmed intravenous fluids during halftime, during which he also drank chicken soup, but returned during the fourth quarter. Notre Dame ran their last offensive play with two seconds remaining on the game clock. They scored a touchdown and won the game 35 to 34. As a result of the game, Notre Dame went on to produce a promotional film called Seven and a Half Minutes to Destiny. Coach Devine later referred to the piece as a "Joe Montana film."

Graduation and the NFL Draft
Montana graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in business administration and marketing. Although the NFL Combine
NFL Combine

The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general managers and scouts....
 was not formed until 1982, NFL scouts
Scout (sport)

Professional sports scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization....
 still evaluated potential draftees
NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is an annual sports draft in which National Football League teams select newly-eligible players for their rosters. It is used to determine which newly eligible players will play for which NFL teams....
 through the use of combines in 1979. Candidates were rated in a number of categories on a scale of one to nine, with one being the worst mark and nine being the best mark. The categories they used were contingent on the position that the athlete played.

Despite his performance on the field, Montana was not rated highly by most scouts. At one combine, Montana rated out as six-and-a-half overall with a six in arm strength, used to judge how hard and how far a prospect could throw the ball. By comparison, Jack Thompson of Washington State University rated an eight, the highest grade amongst eligible quarterbacks.

In the 1979 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Montana in the third round with the 82nd overall pick.

Professional career


San Francisco 49ers

1979–1980
Although Montana appeared in all 16 regular season games during the 1979 season, he only threw 23 passes. He spent most of the season as the number two player on the San Francisco depth chart behind fellow quarterback Steve DeBerg
Steve DeBerg

Steven Leroy DeBerg had a long and varied career as an American Football quarterback. His career spanned 21 years over 3 decades. Despite the fact that large portions of his career were spent as a backup, Steve DeBerg ultimately accumulated some fairly impressive NFL statistics....
.

Montana did not become the number one quarterback until midway through the 1980
1980 NFL season

The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Oakland Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, California, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws....
 season.

On December 7, 1980, San Francisco hosted the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints play in the NFC South of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. The Saints, winless at the time, took a 35–7 lead at halftime. At the start of the fourth quarter, New Orleans still led by a score of 35–21, but San Francisco tied the game by the end of regulation play. In overtime
Overtime (sports)

Overtime is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport in order to bring the game to a decision and avoid declaring the contest a tie or draw....
, Ray Wersching
Ray Wersching

Raimund "Ray" Wersching is an Austrian who is known for having been a professional placekicker in the National Football League for a span of 15 years, stretching from 1973 through 1987....
 kicked a field goal
Field goal (football)

A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a Goal that may be scored during general play .A field goal may be scored by a placekick or the now very rare Field goal #Drop kick....
 to win the game for San Francisco. This marked the first time in Montana's career where his team overcame a fourth quarter deficit to win a game. During his 16 seasons in the NFL, this happened a total of 31 times with Montana at quarterback; 26 of those games were while Montana was with San Francisco.

Though San Francisco finished 1980 with a record of six wins and ten losses, Montana passed for 1,795 yards and 15 touchdown passes against nine interceptions. He also completed 64.5 percent of his passes, which led the league.

1981–1983
Montana began the 1981 season as San Francisco's starting quarterback. The season ended up as one of the franchise's most successful seasons to that point. Backed in part by Montana's strong performance at quarterback, the team finished the regular season with a 13–3 record. In fact, Montana helped San Francisco win two of those games with fourth-quarter comebacks. The season was a precursor to one of Montana's most memorable moments as a professional quarterback.

On January 10, 1982, San Francisco faced the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team in the National Football Conference East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
 at Candlestick Park
Monster Park

Candlestick Park is an outdoor sports and entertainment stadium located in San Francisco, California. The stadium was originally built as the home of the San Francisco Giants, who played there from 1960 until moving into Pacific Bell Park in 2000....
 in the National Football Conference Championship Game. The final quarter was marked by one of the most notable plays in NFL history. Larry Schwartz of ESPN.com later defined the 1981 NFC Championship as Montana's signature game.

When San Francisco took possession with 4:54 left in regulation play, Dallas led 27–21; the drive began on San Francisco's 11-yard line. Behind six successful Montana completions and four running plays, San Francisco moved the ball to the Dallas 13-yard line. After one unsuccessful pass and then a seven-yard gain, San Francisco faced third down from the Dallas 6-yard line. Montana took the snap and ran to his right. He then made an off-balance pass toward the back of the end zone, and San Francisco wide receiver Dwight Clark
Dwight Clark

Dwight Edward Clark is a retired USA athlete who was a Pro Bowl wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 NFL season to 1987 NFL season....
 made a leaping catch for the game-tying touchdown. With just 51 seconds left on the game clock, Wersching kicked the extra point
Extra point

In American football and Canadian football, the convert, conversion, try, extra point, point after touchdown, point-after try or PAT is the act of lining up to attempt a one-point conversion, immediately following a touchdown....
 and San Francisco won the game 28–27. The catch by Clark was coined simply The Catch, and it put San Francisco into Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI

Super Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 NFL season....
.

San Francisco faced the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI. Montana completed 14 of 22 passes for 157 yards with one touchdown. San Francisco won the game 26–21, and in recognition of his performance, Montana won the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, which he accomplished two more times before he retired.

Montana had a prolific season in 1982
1982 NFL season

The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, a verdict was handed down against the league in the trial brought by the Oakland Raiders and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum back in 1980....
. However, the regular season was shortened to nine games when members of the Player's Association went on strike. Although San Francisco failed to make the playoffs, Montana threw for 2,613 yards and 17 touchdowns during the year. He also set what was then an NFL record with five consecutive 300 yard passing games.

The next year, Montana threw for 3,910 yards and 26 touchdowns in 16 regular season games. The team ended the regular season with a 10-6 record and finished first in the NFC West. In the divisional playoff game
NFL playoffs, 1983-84

The NFL playoffs following the 1983 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVIII.Due to Christmas, the two wild card playoff games were played in a span of three days....
, they faced the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are an American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in downtown Detroit....
. Yet again, Montana demonstrated his ability to perform well in high-pressure situations. Despite being out-played in terms of total yardage, the 49ers trailed by just six points as the game neared its conclusion. However, with 1:23 remaining in regulation, the 49ers offense had the ball at the Lions 14-yard line. Montana completed a touchdown pass to wide receiver Freddie Solomon
Freddie Solomon

Freddie Solomon , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 2nd round of the 1975 NFL Draft....
, and San Francisco took the lead on the ensuing extra-point.

The victory placed the 49ers in the NFC Championship game
NFL playoffs, 1983-84

The NFL playoffs following the 1983 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVIII.Due to Christmas, the two wild card playoff games were played in a span of three days....
 against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington, D.C. area. The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, Maryland, which is in Prince George's County, Maryland....
. As he had done before, Montana asserted himself late in the game. The Redskins led 21–0 at the start of the fourth quarter, but Montana helped lead the 49ers back. Aided by three fourth-quarter Montana touchdown passes, the 49ers tied the game at 21. However, Redskins placekicker
Placekicker

Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American football and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of Field goal s, extra points, and, in many cases, Kickoff s....
 Mark Moseley
Mark Moseley

Mark DeWayne Moseley is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League who played for the Philadelphia Eagles , the Tennessee Titans , the Washington Redskins , and the Cleveland Browns ....
 kicked a 25-yard field goal in the waning moments of the game. Despite Montana's efforts, the team lost 24-21.

1984
Though the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins

. The Miami Dolphins are the professional American football team based in the Miami, Florida South Florida metropolitan area. They play home games at Dolphin Stadium, in the suburb of Miami Gardens, Florida....
 finished the 1972 NFL season
1972 NFL season

The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII....
 with no losses, the regular season at the time comprised only 14 games. Thus, when the 49ers finished the 1984 NFL season with a 15–1 record, they became the first team to win 15 games in a single season.

Montana again had an excellent season and earned his second consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl. In their first two playoff games
NFL playoffs, 1984-85

The NFL playoffs following the 1984 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XIX.The two Wild card #National Football League games were held on different days because both venues were in the Pacific Standard Time Zone....
, the 49ers defeated the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the NFC North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
 by a combined score of 44-10. In Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX

Super Bowl XIX was an American football game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1984 NFL season....
, the 49ers faced the Dolphins, whose quarterback was Dan Marino
Dan Marino

Daniel Constantine Marino, Jr. is an United States Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League....
.

In the game, Montana threw for three touchdowns and completed 24 of 35 passes. He established the Super Bowl record for most yards passing in a single game (331) and supplemented his passing with 59 yards rushing. The 49ers defeated the Dolphins 38-16 and Montana earned his second Super Bowl MVP award. After the game, 49ers head coach
Head coach

A head coach is a professional at training and developing sports men and women. He is typically paid more than other coach . Other coaches are often subordinate to the head coach, often in offense positions or defense positions, and occasionally proceeding down into individualized position coaches....
 Bill Walsh said: "Joe Montana is the greatest quarterback today, maybe the greatest quarterback of all time."

1985–1989
Aided in part by Montana's performance at quarterback, the 49ers advanced to NFL Playoffs again in 1985; however, they lost in the NFC Wild card game
Wild card (sports)

The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play....
 to the NY Giants.

In 1986, Montana suffered a severe back injury during week two of the season. The injury was so severe that Montana's doctors suggested that Montana retire
Retirement

Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire and keep some sort of retirement job, out of choice rather than necessity....
. On September 15, 1986, the 49ers placed Montana on the injured reserve list; however, he returned to the team on November 6 of that year. Despite the fact that Montana appeared in just eight games, and, though he threw more interceptions than touchdown passes for the only time in his career, the 49ers finished the season with a record of 10–5–1.

In 1987, Montana had 31 touchdown passes, a career high, in just 13 games. In 1987, he also set the NFL record for most consecutive pass attempts without an incomplete pass (22), passed for 3,054 yards, and had a passer rating of 102.1. Though the 49ers finished with the best record in the NFL, they lost in the NFC semi-finals
NFL playoffs, 1987-88

The NFL playoffs following the 1987 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXII....
 to the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings compete in the NFC North of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
.

Prior to the 1987 season, Bill Walsh completed a trade for Steve Young, then a quarterback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are aprofessional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They are currently members of the NFC South of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. Young went on to appear in eight regular season games for the team and finished the year with a passer rating of 120.8.

Young's performance in 1987 was strong enough that by the time the 1988 season
1988 NFL season

The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Arizona Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Arizona Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
 began, a controversy was in place as to who should get more playing time at quarterback. Young appeared in 11 games that year and rumors surfaced claiming that Montana might be traded.

Despite the competition for playing time, Montana received most of the playing time during the 1988 season. After a home loss to the Los Angeles Raiders
Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in the city of Oakland, California. They currently play in the AFC West of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
 that left the 49ers with a 6–5 record, the 49ers were in danger of missing the playoffs. Montana regained the starting position and led the 49ers to a 10-6 record and the NFC Western Division title.

The 49ers earned a trip to Super Bowl XXIII when they defeated Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears in the playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1988-89

The NFL playoffs following the 1988 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXIII.Due to Christmas, the two wild card playoff games were held in a span of three days....
. The 49ers faced the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. Montana threw three first-half touchdowns as the 49ers won 34-9. The victory over the Bears in the NFC Championship game is of particular note. Playing in Chicago, with temperatures in the single digits and a strong wind blowing across Soldier Field
Soldier Field

Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, and is currently home to the National Football League's Chicago Bears. It reopened on September 29, 2003 after a complete rebuild ....
, Montana threw for 288 yards and 3 touchdowns. His first touchdown pass came on a play in which Montana threw a perfect sideline pass to Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice

Jerry Lee Rice is a former football wide receiver in the National Football League. Rice is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver ever and one of the greatest players in NFL history, consistently showing exceptional performance and strong work ethic on and off of the field....
 on a 3rd down play late in the first quarter, and Rice outran two Bears defenders for a 61-yard score. The 49ers won 28-3 to advance to Super Bowl XXIII.

In January 1989, the 49ers once again faced the Bengals in the Super Bowl. Of his third trip to the Super Bowl, Montana told the San Jose Mercury News: "This trip to the Super Bowl is more gratifying than the others because the road has been harder." Then, in Super Bowl XXIII, Montana had one of the best performances of his career. He completed 23 of 36 passes for a Super Bowl record 357 yards and two touchdowns. Despite his great performance, the 49ers found themselves trailing the Cincinnati Bengals 16-13 with only 3:10 left in the game and the ball on their own 8-yard line. But Montana calmly drove them down the field, completing 8 of 9 passes for 87 yards and throwing the game-winning touchdown pass to John Taylor
John Taylor (American football player)

John Gregory Taylor is a former American football wide receiver with the San Francisco 49ers. Taylor attended Pennsauken High School and was one of six NFL players to come from PHS during the 1980s....
 with only 34 seconds left.

1989 proved to be successful for Montana and the 49ers. The team finished the season with an NFL-best 14–2 record, and their two losses were by a total of only five points. Montana threw for 3,521 yards and 26 touchdowns, with only 8 interceptions, giving him what was then the highest single-season passer rating in NFL history, a mark subsequently broken by Young in 1994. He also rushed for 227 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, and earned the NFL Most Valuable Player Award
NFL Most Valuable Player Award

The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press , to the player who is considered most valuable in the league....
. In a memorable comeback win in week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. They are members of the NFC East of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, Montana threw four touchdown passes in the 4th quarter. He finished with 428 yards passing and five touchdown passes in the victory. The 49ers were successful in the playoffs, easily beating the Minnesota Vikings 41–13 and the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the NFC West of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
 30-3. Montana threw for a total of 503 yards and 6 touchdowns in those 2 games, without a single interception. Then, in Super Bowl XXIV
Super Bowl XXIV

Super Bowl XXIV was an American football game played on January 28, 1990 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1989 NFL season....
, Montana became the first player (and to date, the only player) ever to win Super Bowl MVP honors for a third time, throwing for 297 yards and a then Super Bowl record five touchdowns, while also rushing for 15 yards as the 49ers defeated the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado, Colorado. They are currently a member of the American Football Conference AFC West in the National Football League ....
 55-10, the most lopsided score in Super Bowl history.

1990-1994
In 1990, Montana once again led the 49ers to the best record (14–2) in the NFL. He was named by Sports Illustrated as Sportsman of the Year. A highlight from the season was a rematch with the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are an American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia . They are currently a member of the NFC South division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. Intent on blitzing Montana most of the game, Atlanta's defense allowed Montana to throw for a career-best 476 yards (49ers single-game record) and six touchdown passes, five of them to Jerry Rice. He would end up throwing for 3,944 yards and 26 touchdowns while also throwing a career high 16 interceptions.

Injured after getting hit by Leonard Marshall
Leonard Marshall

Leonard Allen Marshall Jr. is a former American football defensive lineman who played twelve seasons in the National Football League . Marshall played defensive end for the New York Giants for 10 seasons, then played a season each as a defensive tackle for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins....
 during the NFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1990-91

The NFL playoffs following the 1990 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXV.The league expanded its playoff system from a 10-team to a 12-team tournament....
 in January 1991, Montana missed the entire 1991
1991 NFL season

The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
 season and most of the 1992
1992 NFL season

The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots - Miami Dolphins game, that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium, was rescheduled to October 18....
 season with an elbow injury (he did appear in a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football is a live television broadcast of the National Football League. Originally airing on the American Broadcasting Company network from 1970 NFL season to 2005 NFL season, Monday Night Football was the second longest running prime time show on United States of America broadcast network television and one of the hig...
 game vs. Detroit Lions at the end of the '92 season, and was very effective). However, by this point, Young had replaced him as the starting quarterback.

Kansas City Chiefs
Montana recovered from his injuries by the end of the 1992 season. He was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in April 1993. His trade, along with the free-agent signing of star Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen

Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player , and until recently affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,411 yards during his career for both the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997....
 to the Chiefs, generated much media attention and excitement in Kansas City.

The Chiefs mailed three jerseys to Montana. One was number 3, his number from Notre Dame. Another was number 19, which he wore in little league and also briefly in training camp of the 1979 season with San Francisco, and the third was number 16, which Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson
Len Dawson

Leonard Ray "Len" Dawson is a former American football quarterback from Purdue University who played for three professional teams, most notably the Kansas City Chiefs....
 offered to let Montana wear since the organization had retired it. Montana declined Dawson's offer and wore 19 instead and signed a $10 million-dollar contract over three years.

Montana was injured for part of the 1993 season, but still led the Chiefs in two come-from-behind wins in the 1993 playoffs
NFL playoffs, 1993-94

The NFL playoffs following the 1993 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXVIII....
 and reached the AFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1993-94

The NFL playoffs following the 1993 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXVIII....
, where Kansas City lost to the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the metropolitan area of Buffalo, New York. They sold out every game in 2008....
. Including their two playoff victories that year, the 1993 Chiefs won 13 games, tying the franchise record for wins in a season. Montana was also selected to his final Pro Bowl at the end of the 1993 season.

Montana returned healthy to the Chiefs in 1994, starting all but two games. His highlights included a classic duel with John Elway
John Elway

John Albert Elway, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback. He played his college football at Stanford Cardinal football and his entire professional career for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League ....
 (which Montana won) on Monday Night Football, and a memorable game in week 2 when Montana played against his old team, the 49ers and Steve Young. In a much-anticipated match-up, Montana and the Chiefs prevailed and defeated the 49ers 24–17. Montana led his team to a final playoff appearance
NFL playoffs, 1994-95

The NFL playoffs following the 1994 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXIX....
 in 1994.

On April 18, 1995, Montana announced his retirement before a huge crowd at Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco. The event was broadcast live on local television, and included speeches from John Madden
John Madden (American football)

John Earl Madden is a former American football player in the National Football League, a former head coach with the Oakland Raiders, a football video game magnate and a color commentator for NFL telecasts....
, Eddie DeBartolo, Jr, and others. Highlights from Montana's stay with San Francisco and interviews with former 49ers teammates were also shown. Bill Walsh
Bill Walsh

Bill Walsh may refer to:*Bill Walsh , coached San Francisco 49ers*Bill Walsh , center from Notre Dame*Bill Walsh , American film producer...
 served as the emcee for the event. Montana's replacement with the Chiefs was his former backup in San Francisco, Steve Bono
Steve Bono

Steven Christopher Bono is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League....
.

NFL records and accomplishments

Among his career highlights "The Catch" (the game-winning TD pass vs. Dallas in the '82 NFC Championship Game
NFL playoffs, 1981-82

The NFL playoffs following the 1981 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVI....
) and a Super Bowl-winning 92-yd. drive vs. the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII are staples of NFL highlight films
NFL Films

NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows....
.

For his career with the 49ers, Montana completed 2,929 of 4,600 passes for 35,142 yards with 244 touchdowns and 123 interceptions. He had 35 300-yard passing games including 7 in which he threw for over 400 yards. His career totals: 3,409 completions on 5,391 attempts, 273 touchdowns, 139 interceptions, and 40,551 yards passing. He also rushed for 1,676 yards and 20 touchdowns. When Montana retired, his career passer rating was 92.3, the highest all time; he has since been surpassed by his 49er successor Steve Young (96.8), Indianapolis Colt Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning

Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Manning is one of only two three-time NFL MVPs....
 (94.8), and two-time league MVP Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner

Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994....
 (94.3). He also has won 100 games faster than any other quarterback until surpassed by Tom Brady
Tom Brady

Thomas Edward "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After playing college football at University of Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft....
 in 2008. His record as a starter was 117-47
Most wins by a starting quarterback (NFL)

During the 2007 regular season, Brett Favre surpassed John Elway to become the starting quarterback with the most wins in NFL history. As he was approaching this record, a renewed interest in this statistic became evident as the official websites of the Green Bay Packers and the Indianapolis Colts continued to track it....
. His number 16 was retired by the 49ers on December 15, 1997 during halftime of the team's game against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football is a live television broadcast of the National Football League. Originally airing on the American Broadcasting Company network from 1970 NFL season to 2005 NFL season, Monday Night Football was the second longest running prime time show on United States of America broadcast network television and one of the hig...
.

Montana holds post-season records for most career touchdown passes (45), and passing yards (5,772) among others. In his four Super Bowls, Montana completed 83 of 122 passes for 1,142 yards and 11 touchdowns with no interceptions, earning him a passer rating of 127.8. Montana led his team to victory in each game, and is the only player ever to win three Super Bowl MVP
Super Bowl MVP

File:Eli Manning Giants QB.jpgThe Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game....
 awards. He played in eight Pro Bowls.

Personal life

Montana has been married three times. His first wedding was in 1974, when Montana married his hometown sweetheart, Kim Moses, during his second semester at Notre Dame; however, they divorced less than three years later. Montana wed again in 1981, though that marriage would be brief. He met Jennifer Wallace, an actress and model, while the two worked on a Schick commercial, and the two married in 1985. He and Jennifer are still married and have four children: Alexandra Whitney (b. 10 October 1985), Elizabeth Jean (b. 20 December 1986), Nathaniel ("Nate") Joseph (b. 3 October 1989), and Nicholas Alexander (b. 28 April 1992). His oldest son, Nate, will be a walk-on quarterback at Notre Dame starting in Fall 2008 after being a third stringer at De La Salle
De La Salle High School (Concord, California)

De La Salle High School is a Private school, Catholic, all-boys school in Concord, California, California, United States. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland, the school was founded in 1965 as a Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools institution....
. Montana's other son, Nicholas, is a quarterback at nationally ranked Oaks Christian High School
Oaks Christian High School

Oaks Christian High School is a private non-denominational Christian school located on in Westlake Village, CA off US 101. It opened in 2000, and emphasizes academics, arts, and athletics ....
 in Westlake Village, near Los Angeles, CA. Nicholas will be a junior in Fall 2008. Interestingly, Nick splits time at QB with the son of another sports icon, Trevor Gretzky, the son of NHL legend Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Douglas Gretzky, Order of Canada is a retired Canada professional ice hockey player. He is the current part-owner, head of hockey operations, and coach of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League ....
.

In 1986, doctors diagnosed Montana as having a narrow spinal cavity. He elected to have an operation, which was successful, and was able to return to football and continue his storied career.

Montana resides in Lafayette, CA. He now owns horses and produces wine under the label Montagia.

Nicknames

Montana is an Americanized form of the surname Montani, which comes from northern Italy
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
. Montana earned the nickname "Joe Cool" for his ability to stay calm at key moments, and "Comeback Kid" for his history of rallying his teams from late-game deficits. He was called "Golden Joe" because he played in California (the Golden State), and also appeared on a poster superimposed
Superimposition

In graphics, superimposition is the placement of an or video on top of an already-existing image or video, usually to add to the overall image effect, but also sometimes to conceal something ....
 in front of the Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay onto the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S....
 with the wording "The Golden Great". Two more names were provided by a San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle

The San Francisco Chronicle is Northern California's largest newspaper, serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California, from the Sacramento, California area and Emerald Triangle south to San Luis Obispo County....
 nickname contest early in his NFL career: the winner was "Big Sky", but another contestant suggested that since "Joe Montana" already sounded like a nickname, Montana needed a real name, and christened him "David W. Gibson." Montana liked the Gibson name so much that he had it stenciled above his locker.

Montana appears as the character "Joe Clifford" (a pseudonym derived from his first and middle names) in the NFL Network
NFL Network

NFL Network is an United States television specialty channel dedicated to American football. It is owned and operated by the National Football League and is also shown in Canada and Mexico....
's Joe's Diner (TV Short)
Joe's Diner (TV Short)

Joe's Diner is the name of a sequence of TV Shorts created by and aired on the NFL Network that feature Joe Montana and a host of other characters discussing current issues in the NFL from the perspective of the diner's patrons....
 television spots.

Career statistics

YearTeamGPAttComPctYdsTDIntRate
1979 San Francisco 49ers 16 23 13 56.5 96 1 0 81.1
1980 San Francisco 49ers 15 273 176 64.5 1,795 15 9 87.8
1981 San Francisco 49ers 16 488 311 63.7 3,565 19 12 88.4
1982 San Francisco 49ers 9 346 213 61.6 2,613 17 11 88.0
1983 San Francisco 49ers 16 515 332 64.5 3,910 26 12 9 4.6
1984 San Francisco 49ers 16 432 279 64.6 3,630 28 10 102.9
1985 San Francisco 49ers 15 494 303 61.3 3,653 27 13 91.3
1986 San Francisco 49ers 8 307 191 62.2 2,236 8 9 80.7
1987 San Francisco 49ers 13 398 266 66.8 3,054 31 13 102.1
1988 San Francisco 49ers 14 397 238 59.9 2,981 18 10 87.9
1989 San Francisco 49ers 13 386 271 70.2 3,521 26 8 112.4
1990 San Francisco 49ers 15 520 321 61.7 3,944 26 16 89.0
1991 San Francisco 49ers 0 0 0 -- 0 0 0 --
1992 San Francisco 49ers 1 21 15 71.4 126 2 0 118.4
1993 Kansas City Chiefs 11 298 181 60.7 2,144 13 7 87.4
1994 Kansas City Chiefs 14 493 299 60.6 3,283 16 9 83.6
Career Totals 192 5,391 3,409 63.2 40,551 273 139 92.3


Key to Abbreviations
GP =Games Played
Att =Passes attempted
Com =Passes Completed
Pct =Completion percentage
Yds =Yards
TD =Touchdowns
Int =Interceptions
Rate =Passer rating
Passer rating

Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football....


See also

  • Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
    Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame

    The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame honors sports figures who have made a significant impact in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization is a non profit, that was created by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce in 1979....
  • History of Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks
  • List of 300-yard passing games by NFL quarterbacks
    List of 300-yard passing games by NFL quarterbacks

    This is a list-in-progress of the number of 300 yard passing games NFL QB's have achieved in their careers in the regular season and postseason. Active players are in bold....
  • List of NFL quarterbacks who have passed for 400 or more yards in a game
    List of NFL quarterbacks who have passed for 400 or more yards in a game

    In the National Football League, 108 quarterbacks have passed for at least 400 yards in a single game 201 times in the regular season and 13 more in the postseason....
  • List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating
    List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating

    In the National Football League, the highest official passer rating that a quarterback can achieve is 158.3, which is considered a perfect passer rating....


External links