Joe Montana

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

In 1986, Montana won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award after suffering a severe back injury during week one. In 1989 and again in 1990, Montana was named the NFL Most Valuable Player. Montana was elected to eight Pro Bowls as well as being voted first-team All-Pro in 1987, 1989, and 1990. Montana had the highest passer rating in the National Football Conference (NFC) five times (1981, 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1989), and in both 1987 and 1989, Montana had the highest passer rating in the NFL. Among his career highlights, "the Catch" (the game-winning touchdown pass to Dwight Clark vs. Dallas in the 1981 NFC Championship Game) and a Super Bowl-winning 92-yard drive against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII are staples of NFL highlight films. The 49ers retired Montana's No. 16 jersey number after the conclusion of his playing career. In 1994, Montana earned a spot on the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team; he is also a member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. In 1999, editors at The Sporting News ranked Montana third on their list of Football's 100 Greatest Players. Also in 1999, ESPN named Montana the 25th greatest athlete of the 20th century. In 2006, Sports Illustrated rated him the number-one clutch quarterback of all time. After his football career, Montana became a venture capitalist through his firm, Liquid 2 Ventures.

In Their Own Story

The clock ticked down in the fourth quarter at Candlestick Park. The crowd roared, a deafening wall of sound that seemed to vibrate through the turf. Montana stood in the huddle, his voice calm and steady amidst the chaos. He looked at his teammates, their eyes wide with anticipation, and called out the play with absolute certainty. 'Blue 42. On me.'

The ball snapped. The pocket collapsed instantly, linemen scrambling to protect him. Montana stepped back, scanning the field with a predator's focus. He spotted his receiver breaking free in the end zone, a sliver of daylight opening up against the gray sky. With a fluid motion, he launched the ball, his arm extending perfectly as he released it into the wind. The spiral cut through the air, a perfect arc of leather and laces that defied gravity. It found its mark in the receiver's hands just before defenders could close the gap. As the crowd erupted, Montana didn't celebrate; he simply pointed to the scoreboard, his job done.

Reader's Guide

Montana was born in New Eagle, Pennsylvania, a borough of Washington County located in the western portion of the state. He grew up in the city of Monongahela, a coal mining town 25 miles (40 km) south of Pittsburgh. Montana's family were Italian-American, the name Montana being an Americanized form of the surname Montani, which comes from Camonica Valley in northern Italy. Montana expressed an early interest in sports, and his father first taught him the game of football. Montana started to play youth football when he was 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 and basketball, in addition to football, with basketball being his favorite sport. Montana Sr. started a local basketball team which 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 at Waverly Elementary and his secondary education at Finleyville Junior High (now known as Finleyville Middle School) and Ringgold High School. While at Ringgold, Montana played football, baseball, and basketball. Montana showed potential as a basketball player and helped Ringgold win the 1973 WPIAL Class AAA boys' basketball championship while being named an all-state player. He was so good during his senior year, North Carolina State offered Montana a basketball scholarship. Although Montana turned down the scholarship, he seriously considered NCSU because of a promise 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. As a junior, 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 named him to their All-American team. During his junior year, in a game against Monessen High School, Montana completed 12 passes in 22 attempts, threw for 223 yards, and scored three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. His performance garnered attention from college recruiters, particularly those from Notre Dame. Notre Dame eventually offered Montana a scholarship, and he accepted it. One contributing factor in Montana's choice of co

Did You Know?

• Montana's first significant contributions to the Notre Dame football team came during his sophomore year.
• In 1975, Montana came off the bench to lead Notre Dame to comeback wins over North Carolina and Air Force.
• Montana separated his shoulder before the 1976 season and was granted a medical redshirt.
• In 1977, Montana became Notre Dame's starting quarterback after entering a game against Purdue and leading a comeback win.
• Montana helped Notre Dame win the national championship in 1977.