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The following biography
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Joseph Clifford Montana, Jr., (born June
11, 1956, in New Eagle, Pennsylvania, USA) was a quarterback for the San
Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football
League. Montana is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks
of all time. His moniker, Joe Cool, was given to him because of his
calm, cool demeanor on the field under the most intense pressure
situations.
Montana posted impressive statistics, and
led his teams to multiple NFL championships. His San Francisco 49ers
teams won 4 Super Bowls (XVI, XIX, XXIII, and XXIV), and Montana is the
only player to win 3 Super Bowl MVP awards. Montana was also the first
player in league history to win 2 Associated Press MVP awards, which he
did for the 1989 and 1990 seasons. In 1990 he received Sports
Illustrated magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" award, and he was
inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
****
Joe Montana
Date of birth June 11, 1956
Place of birth New Eagle, Pennsylvania
Position(s) Quarterback
College Notre Dame
NFL Draft 1979 / Round 3 / Pick 82
Pro Bowls 8
Awards Super Bowl XVI MVP
Super Bowl XIX MVP
Super Bowl XXIV MVP
1989 AP NFL MVP
1990 AP NFL MVP
1986 AP NFL Comeback POY
1989 PFWA MVP
1989 UPI NFC OFF POY
1989 Bert Bell Award
1978 Cotton Bowl MVP
Honors NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
1990 SI Sports MOY
Retired #s San Francisco 49ers #16
Records San Francisco 49ers
Career Passing Yards (35,124)
Statistics DatabaseFootball
Team(s)
1979-1992
1993-1994 San Francisco 49ers
Kansas City Chiefs
Pro Football Hall of Fame, 2000
****
High school
Montana attended Ringgold High School in
Monongahela and was a standout in football, basketball, and baseball.
In football he was a 2-year starter, and as
a senior he won Parade All-American honors. He turned an 0-9 team into
an 8-1 team by his senior year.
In basketball, he led his team to a League
Championship as a senior.
College
Although offered a basketball scholarship
to play at North Carolina State University, Montana graduated from the
University of Notre Dame. He later stated: "I not only wanted to be the
best, I wanted to play with the best. Obviously that meant playing
quarterback at Notre Dame." At first, Montana found himself buried in
the Fighting Irish depth chart, although he moved up enough to play as a
freshman. But it was in a 1977 game versus Purdue that Montana came in
off the bench as a third string QB, and as the fourth QB that Irish
Coach Devine would insert into the game (after missing the previous year
due to injury), to provide a spark that allowed Notre Dame to score a
comeback victory that first drew him national attention and the nickname
"The Miracle Worker." Montana went on to spark his team to the 1978
Cotton Bowl versus the top-ranked and heavily favored Texas Longhorns.
Notre Dame never trailed in the game, and stunned the Longhorns 38-10,
giving the Irish a national championship.
The following year, the 1979 Cotton Bowl
was not just Montana's encore, but also served as the marker on which
his name is now forever etched alongside other Notre Dame legends and
was far and away his most memorable moment in a Notre Dame uniform. On a
freakishly cold day in Dallas, an already flu-ridden Montana was forced
to the locker room in the 3rd quarter in order to treat his hypothermia
with chicken soup. He returned to the game to lead his team back from a
22-point 4th quarter deficit over the Houston Cougars, winning 35-34 on
a touchdown pass with no time left.
Pro
San Francisco 49ers; 1979-92
Montana was drafted in the third round
(82nd overall) by the San Francisco 49ers in 1979, and played sparingly
his first season.
He became the 49ers starting quarterback
late in his second season. Against the New Orleans Saints he led a
comeback from a 28-point halftime deficit, to a 38-35 overtime victory.
That feat still stands (2006) as the most points ever overcome to win a
regular season NFL game. It was the first of Montana's 26 4th-quarter
comebacks with the 49ers.
In 1981 Montana led San Francisco to a 13-3
record, the best in the NFL. In one of the most memorable games in 49ers
history, he led the 49ers on an 11-play, 89-yard drive, ending with a
dramatic touchdown pass to Dwight Clark, which came to be known as "The
Catch," for a thrilling 28-27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in the
1981 NFC Championship game. Two weeks later Montana led the 49ers to a
26-21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI. For his
efforts, which included scoring the first rushing touchdown by a
quarterback in Super Bowl history, he was named the game's MVP, as he
completed 14 of 22 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown.
In 1982 he improved his Y/A to a
then-career-best 7.6, though he played only 9 games (NFL Player's
strike).
In a 1983 playoff game against the Detroit
Lions, Montana drove the 49ers 70 yards in the final 5 minutes, throwing
a 14-yard touchdown pass to Freddie Solomon for a 24-23 victory. The
following week in the NFC Championship game, Montana led San Francisco
to 3 4th quarter scores to erase a 21-0 deficit against the Washington
Redskins; however, the 49ers lost 24-21.
In 1984, the 49ers compiled a 15-1 regular
season record, fielding what many consider one of the most dominant
teams in NFL history. Montana led a 49er offense that scored 475 points,
best in the NFC. He threw 28 touchdown passes with only 10
interceptions, and had a quarterback rating of 102.9. Highlights in the
season include a 30-27 victory over Detroit, when he drove the team to a
last-second field goal, and a 23-17 win over Cincinnati, in which the
49ers erased a 17-7 deficit with 3 scores in the final 10 minutes. This,
despite Montana throwing a career-high 4 interceptions. In Super Bowl
XIX, Montana completed 24 of 35 passes for a Super Bowl record 331 yards
and 3 touchdowns, outdueling Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, and
leading San Francisco to a 38-16 victory. He also rushed for 59 yards
and a touchdown, the most rushing yards ever by a quarterback in a Super
Bowl at the time.
The 49er's success during the regular
season continued over the next 3 years, but each time, they were
eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, and Montana failed to
throw a single touchdown in all 3 postseason games.
In 1985 he rushed for 3 touchdowns for the
first time in his career.
He also suffered an injury in the 1986
season that forced him to undergo major back surgery, after doctors
discovered a ruptured disk as well as a congenital narrowing of the
spinal cavity. Montana would return for the last 7 games of the season,
helping the then 5-3-1 49ers finish the season at 10-5-1, although it
was the only season of his career in which he threw more interceptions
(9) than touchdowns (8). The rocky year for Montana would have a
unceremonious ending, when he suffered a concussion in the 2nd quarter
of a playoff game versus the New York Giants that the 49ers would lose
49-3.
However, he recovered in 1987, throwing for
3,054 yards and a career-high 31 touchdown passes, with only 13
interceptions. However, their 13-2 record was marred by the upset loss
they suffered in the Divisional Round of the playoffs versus the
Minnesota Vikings, where Montana was benched midway through the game in
favor of Steve Young.
In 1988, Montana struggled with various
injuries that resulted in several missed starts. He was also involved in
a much-publicized battle for the quarterback starting position against
Young. After a devastating home loss to the Los Angeles Raiders 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 then
faced the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. Montana
threw 3 first-half touchdowns as the 49ers won 34-9. In the NFC
Championship game in Chicago, Montana played through bitter, freezing
temperatures to throw for 288 yards and 3 touchdowns in San Francisco's
surprisingly easy 28-3 win over the favored Chicago Bears. 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 2
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 with only 34 seconds left.
1989 proved to be one of the best for
Montana and the 49ers. The team finished the season with an NFL-best
14-2 record, and their 2 losses were by a total of only 5 points.
Montana threw for 3,521 yards and 26 touchdowns, with only 8
interceptions, giving him what was then the highest single-season
quarterback rating in NFL history, a mark subsequently broken by his
49er teammate Steve Young in 1994. He also rushed for 227 yards and 3
touchdowns on the ground, and earned the NFL Most Valuable Player Award.
In a memorable comeback win in week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles,
Montana threw 4 touchdown passes in the 4th quarter despite the
relentless pass rush from the Eagles defense. He finished with 425 yards
passing and 5 touchdown passes in the victory. The 49ers then cruised
through the playoffs, easily crushing the Minnesota Vikings 41-13 and
the Los Angeles Rams 30-3. Montana threw for a total of 503 yards and 6
touchdowns in both games, without a single interception. Then in Super
Bowl XXIV, Montana became the first player ever to win Super Bowl MVP
honors for a 3rd time, throwing for 297 yards and a then Super Bowl
record 5 touchdowns, while also rushing for 15 yards as the 49ers
defeated the Denver Broncos 55-10, the most lopsided score in Super Bowl
history.
In 1990, Montana once again led the 49ers
to the best record (14-2) in the NFL. He was named by Sports Illustrated
as their Sportsman of the Year. A highlight from the season was a
rematch with the Atlanta Falcons. Intent on blitzing Montana most of the
game, Atlanta's porous defense allowed Montana to throw for a
career-best 476 yards passing (49ers single-game record) and 6 touchdown
passes (49ers single-game record shared with Steve Young.)
Injured after getting hit by Leonard
Marshall during the NFC Championship Game in January 1991, Montana
missed all of the 1991 season and most of the 1992 season with an elbow
injury (he did appear in a Monday Night Football game vs. Detroit Lions
at the end of the '92 season, and was very effective). However, by this
point, teammate Steve Young had replaced him at the starting quarterback
position.
Kansas City Chiefs; 1993-94
Montana recovered from his injuries at the
end of the 1992 season, but found that he was no longer wanted in San
Francisco. Montana, who felt he had more football left in him, was then
traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in April 1993. His trade, along with
the trade of star Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen to the
Chiefs, generated much media attention and excitement in Kansas City.
Montana desired to wear #16 on his jersey,
but was rebuffed because Chiefs former quarterback and NFL Hall of Famer
Len Dawson wore that number in his playing days in Kansas City and it
was retired. Montana then chose #3, but that too was rebuffed because
Chiefs former place kicker and NFL Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud wore #3
and it was also retired. Montana settled for his high school jersey
number, #19.
Montana was injured for part of the 1993
season, but was still able to lead the Chiefs in 2 come-from-behind wins
in the 1993 playoffs and reached the AFC Championship Game, where Kansas
City lost to the Buffalo Bills. Kansas City has not won a playoff game
since 1993. 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 2 games. His highlights included a classic duel
with John Elway (which Montana won) on Monday Night Football and a
memorable game in week 2 when Montana played against his old team, the
49ers and their new quarterback, 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 in 1994. Montana
retired at the end of the 1994 season. His replacement with the Chiefs
was his former back-up in San Francisco, Steve Bono.
NFL records and accomplishments
Along with his unique ability to stay calm
at key moments, Montana earned the nicknames "Joe Cool" and "Comeback
Kid" due to his ability to rally his teams from late-game deficits,
including 31 4th quarter comebacks. He also earned the nickname "Golden
Joe" because he played in California (the Golden State). Among his
career highlights "The Catch" (the game-winning TD pass vs. Dallas in
the '82 NFC Championship Game) and "The Drive" (the Super Bowl-winning
92-yd. drive vs. the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII) are staples of NFL
highlight films.
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. His career totals:
3,409 completion on 5,391 attempts, 273 touchdowns, 139 interceptions,
and 40,551 yards passing. He also rushed for 1,676 yards and 20
touchdowns. His career passer rating was 92.3, 4th-highest all-time,
behind his 49er successor Steve Young (96.8), Indianapolis Colt Peyton
Manning (94.1), and Arizona Cardinal Kurt Warner (93.5).
Montana holds post-season records for most
career touchdown passes (45), and passing yards (5,772) among others. In
his 4 Super Bowls, Montana completed 83 of 122 passes, for 1,142 yards
and 11 touchdowns, with an impressive zero interceptions, earning him a
quarterback rating of 127.8. Montana led his team to victory in each
game, and is the only player ever to win 3 Super Bowl MVP awards. He
played in 8 Pro Bowls. His success is a combination of Bill Walsh's
highly successful West Coast Offense, a team of superstars, pro-bowlers
and future stars, and Montana's uncanny ability to find the open man
(often the 3rd or 4th option).
Statistics
Career
5,391 passes attempted
3,409 passes completed
40,551 passing yards
273 passing touchdowns
139 passes intercepted
38.7 passing attempts per interception
457 carries
1,676 rushing yards
20 rushing touchdowns
Post-season records and statistics
732 passes attempted
463 passes completed
5,945 passing yards (250.9 ypg)
45 passing touchdowns
21 passes intercepted
34.8 passing attempts per interception in
the postseason
310 rushing yards
10 rushing touchdowns
3 Super Bowl MVP awards
4 Super Bowl victories
Zero career interceptions thrown during 4
Super Bowl appearances
Seasons among the league's top 10
Pass attempts: 1981-8, 1982-1, 1983-4,
1984-10, 1985-6, 1987-8, 1990-4, 1994-8
Completions: 1981-4, 1982-2, 1983-3,
1984-7, 1985-3, 1987-2, 1988-10, 1990-2, 1994-9
Passing yards: 1981-8, 1982-2, 1983-4,
1984-6, 1985-5, 1987-5, 1989-8, 1990-3, 1994-10
Passing TDs: 1982-1t, 1983-4t, 1984-3t,
1985-2t, 1987-1, 1988-8t, 1989-4, 1990-3
Adjusted yards per pass: 1980-10, 1981-7,
1982-6, 1983-7, 1984-2, 1985-5, 1987-3, 1988-6, 1989-1, 1990-7, 1993-8
Among the league's all-time top 50
Pass attempts: 9
Completions: 8
Passing yards: 9
Passing TDs: 8
Trivia
Montana started playing peewee football
when he was 8, a year younger than the legal limit. His father listed
his age as 9.
In the spring of 1977, he was a member of
the championship team in Notre Dame's popular Bookstore Basketball
tournament.
Married and divorced high school sweetheart
and 1st wife Kim Monses after 3 years, in 1977.
Before the 1979 draft, one scouting combine
rated Montana a 6½ (out of 9). The report said: "He can thread the
needle, but usually goes with his primary receiver and forces the ball
to him even when he's in a crowd. He's a gutty, gambling, cocky type.
Doesn't have great tools, but could eventually start."
Montana met his 3rd and current wife, the
former Jennifer Sharon Wallace, when they did a Schick razor commercial.
He proposed to her by hiring an airplane with a streamer reading, "Jen,
will you marry me?"
Montana resides in the Lamorinda area
outside of Oakland, CA with his 3rd wife, whom he married on February
24, 1985, and their 4 children, Nathaniel, Nicholas, Alexandra, and
Elizabeth. His older son played football at Cardinal Newman High School;
the younger plays basketball and football; his daughters attend Notre
Dame.
Oliver Stone named the main character (Tony
Montana) in his script for Brian de Palma's 1983 movie Scarface after
Montana.
In a loss to the Giants in the 1990 NFC
championship game, defensive end Leonard Marshall delivered what Montana
says is the hardest hit he ever took - a blind-side sack that bruised
his sternum, fractured a rib and knocked him out of the game. Montana
said that Marshall snapped back his right hand after they were on the
ground, breaking a bone.
In 1990, Montana was named Sports
Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year."
In 1993, the town of Ismay, Montana,
temporarily changed its name to Joe, Montana in an honorary gesture.
During his first year out of football,
Montana worked for NBC.
In Montana v. San Jose Mercury News,
(1995), a California Court of Appeal denied Montana's claim that a
newspaper's use of his image, taken from its Super Bowl cover story and
sold in poster form, violated his right of publicity, holding that the
posters represented newsworthy events, and a newspaper has a
constitutional right to promote itself by reproducing its news stories.
The Court ordered Montana to pay the Mercury News over $20,000 in lawyer
fees and court costs, and awarded the paper additional fees for
defending the appeal.
In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Montana #
3 among the 100 Greatest Football Players of All Time, and ranked him #
2 of the 50 Greatest Quarterbacks in 2004. In August 2006 Sports
Illustrated rated him # 1 on its list of the Top 10 Clutch Quarterbacks
of All Time. [1]
On September 1, 2006, Montana's high school
renamed its stadium after him.
He also owns horses and produces wine under
the label Montagia. [2]
In 2006 he was alleged to have skipped the
Super Bowl pregame show featuring every Super Bowl MVP because the NFL
would not give him $100,000 to appear; this was proven to be false.
Montana was attending his son's basketball game. He stated on Quite
Frankly with Stephen A. Smith that his NFL career resulted in missing
many of his two older daughters childhood activities. He simply didn't
want to repeat missing those years with his two younger sons. [3]
Montana is part of the management team at
HRJ Capital, a private equity fund-of-funds. Montana had been an
associate of founders Harris Barton and Ronnie Lott through their
professional careers, and became an investor in the first Champion
Ventures fund of funds in 1999, and most recently spear-headed their
activities in the real estate sector. As of late 2005, Joe stepped back
from day-to-day operations, but remained committed to the firm.
His son is currently attending De La Salle
High School (Concord, California), and is playing as a second stringer
for football.
Montana has become an advocate for
controlling High Blood Pressure, after unexpectedly being diagnosed with
the disease.
Appeared in a Billy Ray Cyrus concert
video.
Has done commercials for Fruit of the Loom
Underwear, Flexall cream, Ford Trucks, Disneyland, Coors beer,
McCormick's GrillMates barbecue sauces & spices, and Mervyns clothing
stores, and endorsed DirecTV and Tombstone frozen pizzas.
Was ranked # 25 on ESPN's Sportscentury's
Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century.
Was ranked # 23 on Sports Illustrated's '40
for the Ages' list.
****
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