Growing up in West Texas throughout the 1950’s through 1965…..while attending The University of Texas at Austin from 1965 through 1970…..and owning my sports bar and restaurant, Madison Square Garden, The Sports Place at 302 E. 6th Street in downtown Austin, Texas…..for that is when my blood ran Hook Em Horns Orange…..was a “dyed in the wool” Dallas Cowboys fan…..whereas the truth be known, I hated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the San Francisco 49’ers…..albeit I did have an awful lot of their fans frequent my bar to watch their favorite teams…..so, I had to “grin and bear it” when their teams would beat my team…..as their fans would stay overtime at The Garden to celebrate beating the Longhorns or the Cowboys…..cuz they broke my heart on more than one occasion…..which just happened to be QB Joe Montana was at the helm for the Irish and the 49’ers. Therefore, it is with a bittersweet attitude that I post this story and video history of The Comeback Kid, Joe Cool…..whom I have never liked as a fan…..as I used to always comment that I thought he “liked his tights ends just a little too much”…..but have highly regarded as a phenomenal football player…..and a serious winner.
NFL & Music – 1979 To 1994 – Special Highlights of QB Joe Montana – Put To Bruce Springsteen’s “Born In The USA”
Joseph Clifford Montana Jr. (born June 11, 1956) is an American former football quarterback…..who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons…..while primarily with the San Francisco 49ers…..who was nicknamed “Joe Cool“ and “the Comeback Kid“…..and is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. After winning a national college championship at Notre Dame…..that’s when Montana began his NFL career in 1979 at San Francisco…..where he played for the next 14 seasons. With the 49ers, Montana started and won four Super Bowls…..and was the 1st player to be named the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times. He also holds Super Bowl career records for most passes without an interception (122 in four games)…..along with the all-time highest passer rating of 127.8. In 1993, Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs…..where he played for his last two seasons…..and led the Chiefs to their 1st ever AFC Championship Game.
Childhood + HS + NCAA Football – 1960 To 1978 – Special Highlights – Joe Montana: Childhood & Notre Dame Clips!
In 1986, Joe Cool won the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award…..then in 1989 and again in 1990, the Associated Press named him the NFL MVP….. and in 1990, Sports Illustrated magazine named Montana the “Sportsman of the Year”. Montana was elected to eight Pro Bowls…..as well as being voted 1st-team All-Pro by the AP in 1987, 1989 and 1990…..plus he had the highest passer rating in the National Football Conference (NFC) five times in 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1989…..while having the highest passer rating in the NFL in both 1987 and 1989. Among his career highlights best remembered are “The Catch”…..which was the game-winning touchdown pass to Dwight Clark vs. Dallas in the 1981 NFC Championship Game…..and the 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 # 16 jersey after the conclusion of his playing career…..and in 1994, Montana earned a spot on the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team…..plus he is a member of the NFL 1980’s All-Decade Team. In 1999, editors at The Sporting News ranked Montana 3rd on their list of Football’s 100 Greatest Players…..then in 1999, ESPN named Montana the 25th greatest athlete of the 20th century. In 2006, Sports Illustrated rated him the # 1 clutch quarterback of all time.
NCAA & NFL Football – Special – SportsCentury: Top 50 American Athletes of the 20th Century Joe Montana
Montana was born to Joseph Clifford Montana Sr. (1932–2017) and Theresa Marie Bavuso Montana (1935–2004) in New Eagle, Pennsylvania…..which was a borough of Washington County located in the western portion of the state. He grew up in the city of Monongahela…..which was 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 northern Italy. When Montana expressed an early interest in sports, his father 1st taught him the game of football…..as he started to play youth football when he was just eight years old, aided in part by his father…..who 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…..and that’s when Montana Sr. started a local basketball team that his son played on…..as the team practiced and played at the local armory…..along with playing games in various regional tournaments.
Football – 1972 – Pennsylvania High School Game Highlights – Monessen Vs Ringgold – Joe Montana 1st High School Game
Montana received his primary education at Waverly Elementary and his secondary education at Finleyville Junior High and Ringgold High School. While at Ringgold, Montana played football, baseball and basketball….. where he 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 that during his senior year, North Carolina State offered Montana a basketball scholarship…..and albeit he turned down the scholarship, he seriously considered NCSt 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…..then as a junior, he earned the job as the Ringgold Rams’ starting quarterback…..which he for the final two years of his high school career….. when after his senior year, Parade named him to their All-American team. One of Montana’s most notable performances during his high school years was during his junior year in a game against Monessen High School…..when after Monessen scored a game-tying touchdown in the final moments of the game, Montana’s performance garnered attention from college recruiters, particularly those from Notre Dame…..when in the game, Montana would complete 12 passes in 22 attempts…..while throwing for 223 yards…..and scoring three passing touchdowns and one rushing. In 2006, 32 years after Montana graduated, Ringgold High School renamed their football stadium “Joe Montana Stadium”.
Football – 1970 to 1994 – HS / NCAA / NFL Highlights Special – Joe Montana: “The Story of The Comeback Kid”
Notre Dame eventually offered Montana a scholarship…..which he accepted partly because Terry Hanratty, his boyhood idol, attended Notre Dame and was a two-time All American and won the Heisman Trophy. When Montana arrived at Notre Dame in the fall of 1974, the football program was coached by Ara Parseghian…..when Notre Dame won the NCAA national championship in 1966 and 1973…..as Parseghian’s success as a coach helped him recruit highly talented players. Though Montana was a top prospect, under Notre Dame policy in 1974, freshmen were not permitted to practice with or play on the varsity team…..and consequently Montana appeared only in a few freshman team games. Montana’s 1st significant contributions to the Notre Dame football team came during his sophomore year. In December December 15, 1974, Parseghian resigned due to health problems. The Irish hired Dan Devine to replace Parseghian…..when despite his limited playing time the previous year, Montana performed well during the 1975 spring practice…..and Devine was so impressed that he later told his wife that “I’m gonna start Joe Montana in the final spring game.”…..when she replied, “Who’s Joe Montana?”…..and Devine said “He’s the guy who’s going to feed our family for the next few years.”
NCAA Football – 1974 To 1978 – Notre Dame Legends – The Joe Montana Story – Part 1
Devine did not feel Montana was ready to be the full-time starter in 1975…..however, he did play a key role in Notre Dame’s victory over North Carolina…..when during the game, played in Chapel Hill, Montana came in with 5:11 left to play. At the time, North Carolina led by a score of 14–6….. and Montana spent one minute and two seconds of game time on the field …..while in that time, he had 129 passing yards…..and Notre Dame won the game, 21–14. Against Air Force, Notre Dame’s next opponent, Montana again entered the game in the 4th quarter…..and albeit Air Force led 30–10, Notre Dame won the game, 31–30. After the win against North Carolina, Devine said that Moose Krause, the Dame Athletic Director, 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 demonstrated his ability to perform well in high-pressure circumstances. That characteristic would prove valuable, and Montana relied on it throughout his football career…..for that was when his nickname as The Comeback Kid really started to grow on him.
NCAA Football – 1974 To 1978 – Notre Dame Legends – The Joe Montana Story – Part 2
Before the start of the 1976 season, Montana separated his shoulder and was unable to compete that year…..so, he applied for and was granted a medical redshirt waiver…..thus earning him one more year of eligibility than other members of his scholarship class. When the 1977 season began, Montana was the 3rd quarterback listed on the team’s depth chart, behind Rusty Lisch and Gary Forystek…..when Notre Dame won their season opener and then lost to Mississippi by a score of 20–13…..as Montana did not appear in either of those games…..but in their 3rd game of the season, Notre Dame played Purdue…..when Lisch started and was then replaced by Forystek. In one play, Forystek suffered a broken vertebra, a broken clavicle and severe concussion …..which was the last play of Forystek’s sports career. Devine re-inserted Lisch into the game before Montana finally had the opportunity to play. Montana entered with approximately 11 minutes remaining and Purdue leading 24–14…..when he threw for 154 yards and one touchdown…..and Notre Dame won the game, 31–24…..for another feather in The Comeback Kid’s dossier. After the game, Devine made Montana the 1st quarterback on the depth chart…..and the team won their remaining nine games…..when in their final game of the season, Notre Dame defeated top-ranked Texas by a score of 38–10 in the Cotton Bowl…..which was the 1st time that Joe Cool broke my heart…..cuz my blood has always run Burnt Orange…..and 1977 was Earl Campbell’s Heisman Trophy year…..and The Horns were undefeated and untied and ranked # 1 in the country going into the Cotton Bowl. Notre Dame’s record of eleven wins and one loss earned them the AP/Coaches national title…..which was the only title the school won while Devine was head coach.
NCAA Football – 1979 – Cotton Bowl Highlights – Notre Dame Vs Houston – Known As “The Chicken Soup Game” – Joe Montana Comeback
As a fifth-year senior in 1978, Montana helped Notre Dame to a come-from-behind win against the Pitt Panthers…..and nearly repeated the feat against USC, Notre Dame’s primary rival. The Fighting Irish were trailing 24–6 in the second half when Montana led a fourth-quarter rally to put Notre Dame ahead 25–24 with 45 seconds remaining, only to see the Trojans win on a last-second field goal.
NCAA Football -1978 – Special Highlights – USC Vs Notre Dame – Joe Montana Leads ND to 25-24 Lead With 45 Seconds
On January 1, 1979, Notre Dame returned to the Cotton Bowl, this time against Houston. Montana’s performance in what came to be known as the “Chicken Soup Game” is one of the most celebrated of his entire football career…..when in frigid, blustery conditions in the 2nd quarter, Montana had to fight off hypothermia as his body temperature dropped to 96 °F (35.6 °C). When the 2nd half began with Houston up 20–12, Montana stayed in the locker room, where Notre Dame medical staff gave him warmed intravenous fluids, covered him in blankets, and fed him chicken soup. Montana then returned to the field late in the 3rd quarter with Houston leading 34–12…..as The Comeback Kid led the Irish to three touchdowns in the last eight minutes of the game…..with the final one coming as time expired…..and Notre Dame won the game 35–34. To commemorate the game, Notre Dame produced a promotional film titled Seven and a Half Minutes to Destiny…..which Coach Devine later referred to as a “Joe Montana film”.
NCAA Football- 1977 – Notre Dame Football Special – “Onward Notre Dame: The 1977 Champions”
Montana graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in business administration and marketing…..and albeit the NFL Combine was not formed until 1982, NFL scouts still evaluated potential draftees through the use of combines in 1979…..as 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…..whereas at one combine, Montana rated out as six-and-a-half overall with a six in arm strength…..which was used to judge how hard and how far a prospect could throw the ball…..when by comparison, Jack Thompson of Washington State rated an eight, the highest grade among eligible quarterbacks. In the 1979 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Montana at the end of the 3rd round with the 82nd overall pick…..as he was the 4th quarterback taken behind Thompson, Phil Simms and Steve Fuller…..who were all selected in the 1st round.
NFL & Talk Show – 2016 – The Rich Eisen Show – With Guest HOF Joe Montana – Tells His Famous John Candy Super Bowl Story
Although Montana appeared in all 16 regular season games during the 1979 season, he only threw 23 passes…..as he spent most of the season as the backup on the San Francisco depth chart behind starter Steve DeBerg…..then Montana became the starting quarterback midway through the 1980 season. On December 7, 1980, San Francisco hosted the winless New Orleans Saints. The Saints took a 35–7 lead at halftime….when at the start of the 4th 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, Ray Wersching kicked a field goal to win the game for San Francisco, 38–35…..which marked the 1st 4th quarter comeback victory in Montana’s NFL career. During his sixteen seasons in the NFL, this happened a total of 31 times with Montana at quarterback, 26 of those coming as a 49er…..so, simply put, Joe Montana more than deserved his nickname as The Comeback Kid. Though San Francisco finished 1980 with a record of 6–10, Montana passed for 1,795 yards and 15 touchdown passes against 9 interceptions…..while completing 64.5 percent of his passes…..as this also led the NFL.
NFL – 1980 – Game Of The Week Highlights – Bills Vs 49’ers – Montana’s Rookie Season
Montana began the 1981 season as the 49’ers starting quarterback…..and the season ended up as one of the franchise’s most successful to that point. Backed in part by Montana’s strong performance, the team finished the regular season with a 13–3 record…..as Montana helped San Francisco win two of those games with fourth-quarter comebacks…..when the season was a precursor to one of Montana’s most memorable moments as a professional …..whereby on January 10, 1982, San Francisco faced the Dallas Cowboys as three-point home underdogs at Candlestick Park in the National Football Conference Championship Game. The final quarter was marked by one of the most notable plays in NFL history…..as 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…..with Dallas holding the lead at 27–21…..as the 49’er drive began on San Francisco’s 11-yard line…..when behind 6 successful Montana completions and 4 running plays…..as San Francisco moved the ball to the Dallas 13-yard line…..then after one unsuccessful pass…..and then a seven-yard gain…..that’s when the 49’ers and their QB Joe Cool faced 3rd down from the Dallas 6-yard line…..as Montana took the snap and ran to his right…..when he then made an off-balance pass toward the back of the end zone…..and San Francisco wide receiver Dwight Clark made a leaping catch over two Cowboy defenders for the game-tying touchdown…..and with just 51 seconds left on the game clock, Wersching kicked the extra point…..and San Francisco won the game 28–27…..for this was the 2nd time that Joe Montana broke my heart. The reception by Clark was coined simply The Catch…..and it put San Francisco into Super Bowl XVI.
NFL – 1981 – NFL Films – Super Bowl XVI Highlights – Cowboys Vs 49’ers
San Francisco faced the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI…..and Montana completed 14 of 22 passes for 157 yards with one touchdown passing and one rushing touchdown….as 49’ers won the game 26–21….and in recognition of his performance, Montana won his 1st of three Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Awards in his NFL career. The Super Bowl win also made Montana one of only two quarterbacks….along with his idol Joe Namath…..to win a college national championship and a Super Bowl…..while Montana, at 25 years, 227 days, was one day older than Namath was at the time of his 1st Super Bowl, making him the 2nd-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl up to that time.
NFL – 1981 – Super Bowl XVI Special – “Joe Montana: Cool Under Pressure With The Most Iconic Pass in Football History”
Montana had a prolific season in 1982…..however, the regular season was shortened to 9 games when members of the Player’s Association went on strike…..and albeit San Francisco failed to make the playoffs, Montana threw for 2,613 yards and 17 touchdowns during the year…..plus, he also set what was then an NFL record with five consecutive 300-yard passing games. Because the 49ers missed the playoffs, the team seriously considered trading him to the Baltimore Colts for the rights to the 1st overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft…..and thus, the right to draft Stanford quarterback John Elway….. but the 49ers reconsidered and ultimately traded their 1st round pick to the San Diego Chargers (used on Billy Ray Smith Jr.) weeks before the draft.
NFL & Comedy – 2018 – Comedy Special – James Corden + Joe Montana – “Recreating ‘The Catch”
The next year, Montana threw for 3,910 yards and 26 touchdowns in 16 regular season games…..as the team ended the regular season with a 10–6 record…..and finished 1st in the NFC West. In the divisional playoff game, they faced the Detroit Lions…..as once again, Montana demonstrated his ability to perform well in high-pressure situations…..when despite being out-played in terms of total yardage, the 49ers trailed by just six points as the game neared its conclusion. With 1:23 remaining in regulation, the 49ers offense had the ball at the Lions 14-yard line and Montana completed a touchdown pass to wide receiver Freddie Solomon, giving San Francisco the lead on the ensuing extra-point.
NFL – 1982 – NFC Divisional Playoffs Highlights – New York Giants vs San Francisco 49ers – QB Joe Montana Shines
The victory placed the 49ers in the NFC Championship game against the Washington Redskins…..and as he had done many times before, Montana asserted himself late in the game…..when as the Redskins led 21–0 at the start of the 4th quarter…..but Montana helped lead the 49ers back…..while aided by 3 fourth-quarter Montana touchdown passes, the 49ers tied the game at 21. However, Redskins placekicker Mark Moseley kicked a 25-yard field goal in the waning moments of the game…..and despite Montana’s efforts, the team lost, 24–21.
NFL – 1984 – NFC Championship Game San Francisco 49ers vs Washington Redskins (Full Show) – Featuring “The Comeback Kid” Joe Montana
Albeit the Miami Dolphins finished the 1972 NFL season with no losses, the regular season at the time comprised only 14 games…..thus, when the 49’ers finished the 1984 NFL season with a 15–1 record…..as they became the 1st team to win 15 games in a single regular season. Montana again had an excellent season…..and earned his 2nd consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl. In their first two playoff games, the 49ers defeated the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears by a combined score of 44–10. In Super Bowl XIX, the 49ers faced the Dolphins and their quarterback, Dan Marino. In the game, Montana threw for three touchdowns and completed 24 of 35 passes…..as he established the Super Bowl record for most yards passing in a single game with 331 yards….. and supplemented his passing with 59 yards rushing…..as the 49ers defeated the Dolphins 38–16…..and Montana earned his 2nd Super Bowl MVP award. After the game, 49ers head coach Bill Walsh said, “Joe Montana is the greatest quarterback today, maybe the greatest quarterback of all time.” As a matter of fact, I watched this game live from the 50 yard line live at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alta, CA….wherein, my buddy and I arrived at Stanford Stadium 45 minutes before kickoff with absolutely NO TICKETS for the game…..when we found a scalper with two fifty yard line tickets 28 rows up behind the 49’ers bench…..which were great seats since our money was on the Niners….and Joe Cool was under center.
NFL – 1985 – Super Bowl XIX Special – Dolphins Vs. 49’ers – Featuring Every Montana Play
Aided in part by Montana’s performance at quarterback, the 49ers advanced to the NFL Playoffs again in 1985…..however, they lost in the NFC Wild card game to the New York Giants.
NFL – 2018 – Special – “Interview With Joe Montana: Remembering Dwight Clark”
In the 1986 season, Montana suffered a severe back injury during week one of the season…..which was to a spinal disc in Montana’s lower back that required immediate surgery…..as the injury was so severe that Montana’s doctors suggested that Montana retire. 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…..and in his 1st game back from injury Montana passed for 270 yards and three touchdown passes in a 43–17 49’er victory against the St. Louis Cardinals. Montana appeared in just eight games that season…..and 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. Montana was co-recipient (with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer) of the 1986 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
NFL – 1986 – NFL Films – Special – “Profile of QB Joe Montana – The 49ers Leader”
In 1987, Montana had 31 touchdown passes, a career-high, in just 13 games….then Montana crossed the picket line during the NFLPA strike and threw five touchdowns against replacement players. 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 49’ers finished with the best record in the NFL, they lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to the Minnesota Vikings. Prior to the 1987 season, Bill Walsh completed a trade for Steve Young, then a quarterback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 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 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.
NFL – 1979 To 1989 – Special – “A Look At 49’ers HOF QB Joe Montana Career Highlights”
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 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 the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears in the playoffs. In the NFC Divisional Playoffs, the 49ers faced Minnesota, who had eliminated them from the playoffs the year before…..as 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…..as it was played at Soldier Field in Chicago…..with temperatures of 17 °F (-8 °C) and a strong wind…..when Montana threw for 288 yards and 3 touchdowns. His 1st touchdown pass came on a 3rd-down play late in the 1st quarter in which Montana threw a perfect sideline pass to Jerry Rice…..and Rice outran two Bears defenders for a 61-yard score. The 49ers won 28–3 to advance to Super Bowl XXIII.
NFL – 1988 – Game of the Week – Giants Vs 49’ers Special Highlight – “The Comeback Kid Connects With Rice To Pull-Out Another One”
In January 1989, the 49ers again faced the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl…..known as the Silverdome Super Bowl. Of his 3rd 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…..as he completed 23 of 36 passes for a then-Super Bowl record 357 yards and two touchdowns….and despite his great performance, the 49ers found themselves trailing the Bengals 16–13 with only 3:20 left in the game and the ball on their own 8-yard line…..but Montana cooly drove them down the field…..while completing 8 of 9 passes for 92 yards…..and throwing the game-winning touchdown pass to John Taylor with only 34 seconds left….. which was just another “feather in the cap on Joe Cool, The Comeback Kid.”
NFL – 1989 – Special – Joe Montana “The Comeback Kid” Engineered His Greatest Comeback in Super Bowl XXIII”
The 1989 season proved to be successful for Montana and the 49ers…..as the team finished the regular season with an NFL-best 14–2 record…..as their two losses were by a total of only five points. Montana threw for 3,521 yards and 26 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions…..which gave him what was then the highest single-season passer rating in NFL history…..interestingly enough, a mark subsequently broken by Young in 1994…..which was later broken again by Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts in 2004…..and by Aaron Rodgers 2011 season with the Packers. He also rushed for 227 yards and three touchdowns on the ground…..while earning the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. In a memorable comeback win in Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Montana threw four touchdown passes in the 4th quarter…..while finishing 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 in the divisional round…..and the Los Angeles Rams 30–3 in the NFC Championship game. Montana threw for a total of 503 yards and 6 touchdowns in those 2 games without a single interception. Then in Super Bowl XXIV, Montana became the 1st player ever to win Super Bowl MVP honors for a 3rd 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 55–10….which was the highest single-team and most lopsided score in Super Bowl history.
NFL – 1979 To 1990 – Special – “Joe Montana Highlights”
In 1990, Montana once again led the 49ers to the best regular season record (14–2) in the NFL….when he was named by Sports Illustrated as Sportsman of the Year. A highlight from the season was a rematch with the Atlanta Falcons ….who were intent on blitzing Montana most of the game…..as Atlanta’s defense allowed Montana to throw for a career-best 476 yards (49ers single-game record) and six touchdown passes…..with five of them to Jerry Rice. He would end up throwing for 3,944 yards and 26 touchdowns…..albeit while also throwing a career-high 16 interceptions. Three of those interceptions came in a November 25 home loss to the Rams…..which ended the 49ers’ 18-game winning streak (dating back to a home loss to the Packers in November 1989). The 49ers run game struggled in 1990: the team averaged 3.8 yards a carry, only good enough for 19th in the league…..as no 49’er exceeded 500 yards rushing for the entire year. Fullback Tom Rathman scored the most touchdowns (7) on the ground while gaining 318 yards…..while Roger Craig (439 yards, 1 TD) was slowed by a knee injury suffered in week 5 at Houston. Rookie running back Dexter Carter (460 yards, 1 TD) did not help much….as Carter’s only touchdown came on December 17 at the Rams….and his 74-yd touchdown run that clinched home-field advantage for the 49ers constituted roughly one-sixth of his productivity in terms of yardage on the ground…. plus he lost four fumbles at home the following Sunday in a 13–10 loss to the Saints.
NFL – 1990 – Special – “Season In Review: Joe Montana And The 49’ers”
The 49ers looked forward to becoming the 1st NFL team to win three consecutive Super Bowls…..when they moved through the playoffs to the NFC Championship Game to face the New York Giants. The 49ers defense was able to hold backup quarterback Jeff Hostetler and the Giants without a touchdown….but the tide of the game changed when Montana was sacked by Leonard Marshall while rolling out of the quarterback pocket….but he was injured and left the game…..which the Giants won, 15–13, on the last of five Giants field goals…..which was set up by a fumble from 49’ers running back Roger Craig.
NFL – Nov. 27, 1990 – Special Highlights – Giants Vs 49’ers – Featuring Montana vs Simms
Montana missed the entire 1991 season and most of the 1992 season with an elbow injury sustained during the 1991 pre-season. In the final game of the 1992 season, a Monday Night Football matchup against the Detroit Lions….. whereas Montana stepped in and played the entire 2nd half….when despite missing nearly two full seasons….as he proved to be very effective…..while sealing the victory with “insurance points”. By this time, however, Steve Young had established himself as the 49’er starter…..and took over for the playoffs. Although it was not known at the time, Joe Montana would not see another snap in a 49’er uniform…..as he suited up for the final time in the teams’s NFC Championship showdown with the Dallas Cowboys…..albeit a 3rd string QB behind Young and Steve Bono.,
NFL & Music – 1979 To 1990 – Special – Joe Montana Highlights With Bruce Springsteen Mix “Born In the U.S.A Tribute”
With Montana healthy and ready to play, a quarterback controversy soon emerged. Steve Young had proven his effectiveness in the two years he played while Montana was injured, and many fans and players alike felt that they had made the transition to Steve Young. Furthermore, Young did not want to play if he was used only as a backup. Nevertheless, there was also a strong sentiment that Montana was the “face of the franchise” and it would be right for him to remain so. A rift in the locker room developed, and Montana ultimately requested a trade. Young eventually led the team to another Super Bowl victory…..which helped him emerge from Montana’s shadow.
NFL – 1990 – Special – “The Joe Montana vs Steve Young Quarterback Controversy That Almost Tore The 49ers Locker Room Apart”
Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs on April 20, 1993, and signed a $10 million contract over three years…..as his trade was the catalyst for the subsequent Chiefs’ free-agent signing of star Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen on June 9th…..as the arrival of Montana and Allen…..with both being former Super Bowl MVP’s….which generated a great deal of media attention and excitement in KC. Chiefs general manager, Carl Peterson, had spent the 1993 off-season installing the “West Coast offense” uinder the direction of new offensive coordinator Paul Hackett….who at one time served as 49’ers quarterbacks coach to Montana….who would report to incumbent head coach Marty Schottenheimer.
NFL – 1993 / 1994 – Special – “The Great Joe Montana And The Kansas City Chiefs”
The Chiefs mailed three jerseys to Montana…..one was # 3, his number from Notre Dame, which the Chiefs had retired in honor of Hall of Fame kicker Jan Stenerud, who offered to let him wear it…..another was # 19, which he wore in youth football and also briefly in training camp of the 1979 season with San Francisco…..and the 3rd was # 16, which Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson offered to let Montana wear since the organization had retired it. Montana declined Dawson’s and Stenerud’s offers and wore 19 instead. During the Chiefs’ first offseason practice, the defensive players all remained behind after their session concluded to watch the offensive team practice “because they wanted to see Joe Montana play. That’s what those guys thought of the trade. It gave everybody hope we could win a championship. That’s why it was such a special time.”
NFL – 1993 – Special – “Joe Montana Traded From San Francisco 49ers to Kansas City Chiefs”
Montana was injured for part of the 1993 season…..but was still selected to his final Pro Bowl…..as the Chiefs won their division for the 1st time in 22 years. The Comeback Kid led the Chiefs in two come-from-behind wins in the 1993 playoffs…..when in their wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, he threw a 7-yard 4th-down touchdown pass to send the game into overtime…..then against the Houston Oilers, he led the team to 28 second-half points, including three touchdown passes to earn the 29th 4th-quarter comeback win of his career….while in the AFC Championship Game, Kansas City lost to the Buffalo Bills 30–13, with Montana suffering a concussion during the third play of the third quarter and yielding to Dave Krieg. Including their two playoff victories that year (the Chiefs only had one prior playoff win since Super Bowl IV in 1970), the 1993 Chiefs won 13 games, which tied the franchise record for wins in a season.
NFL – 1993 – Kansas City Chiefs Special – 1993 Kansas City Chiefs Video Yearbook: “A Special Season”
Montana returned healthy to the Chiefs in 1994…..while starting all but two games…..as his highlights included a classic duel with John Elway (which Montana won, 31–28) on Monday Night Football…..and a memorable game in week 2 when Montana played against his old team, the 49ers and Steve Young…..when in a much-anticipated match-up, Montana and the Chiefs prevailed and defeated the 49ers, 24–17. Montana led his team to a 9–7 record, sufficient for another postseason appearance…..where they lost in the wild-card playoff round to the Miami Dolphins and Dan Marino, 27–17.
NFL – 1994 – ESPN Highlights With Chris Berman – Week 2 Match-up – 49’ers Vs Chiefs – Young Vs Montana – Ist Meeting After Montana Traded From 49’ers To Chiefs
Montana has fondly remembered the Chiefs’ home of Arrowhead Stadium with its “unbelievable roar” from field level, saying “The thing about Kansas City, it doesn’t matter whether they’re winning or losing, that fan base is ridiculous. Over the years, I don’t think that stadium’s ever been empty. Those people there support that team and that organization like none you’ve seen. And it is so loud. Even after 50 years, they’re still in there screaming every week. That fan base is probably one of the best in the NFL, one of the hardest places to play for sure”. Head coach Marty Schottenheimer pulled Montana aside before his 1st game at Arrowhead…..and telling him to prepare for a volume he’d never experienced. Montana recalled ‘Come on, Marty, I’ve played in four Super Bowls. I’ve played all over the place,’ ” he said. “And Marty said, ‘Just wait.’ ” “The thing that gets you is the whole stadium, when they sing the national anthem, is when they say, ‘And the home of the … Chiefs!’ Still makes your hair stand up on your arms.”
NFL – 1993 / 1994 Seasons – Special Highlights – “Every Joe Montana Touchdown in a Chiefs Uniform
On April 18, 1995, Montana announced his retirement before a huge crowd at Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco…..as the event was broadcast live on local television…..which also included speeches from John Madden, Eddie DeBartolo Jr., and others…..while highlights from Montana’s stay with San Francisco…..and interviews with former 49ers teammates were also shown. Bill Walsh, who had served as head coach for three of Montana’s four Super Bowl victories, was the emcee for the event.
NFL & News – 1995 – KTVU Bay Area TV News Special – “San Francisco Honors Joe Montana As He Retires From Football”
Montana’s replacement as starting quarterback with the Chiefs was his former backup in San Francisco, Steve Bono. Super Bowl XXX was dedicated to Montana, who ended the pregame ceremonies with the ceremonial coin toss. Former 49er teammate Harris Barton set up a fund-of-funds capital firm HRJ Capital in 1999…..when Montana joined HRJ as a partner from 2003 to 2005…..while helping invest in venture capital firms, hedge funds and private-equity funds.
NFL – Dec. 15, 1997 – Monday Night Football Special – “San Francisco 49’ers Retire Joe Montana’s # 16”
Montana was one of five Bay Area Super Bowl MVPs to whom Super Bowl 50 was dedicated, the others being Fred Biletnikoff, Jim Plunkett, and ex-teammates Jerry Rice and Steve Young…..with all five of whom were accompanied to the field by Drew Brees, Eli Manning, and Malcolm Smith for the conclusion of the pregame ceremonies…..as Montana again flipped the coin on their behalf. Montana was in attendance at the 2018 AFC Championship Game in Arrowhead Stadium…..while supporting his former team Chiefs against the New England Patriots. It was only the 2nd time that the Chiefs contested the Conference title game…..when the 1st was when Montana quarterbacked them in the 1993 season. Super Bowl LIV between the 49ers and Chiefs was nicknamed “Joe Montana Bowl”…..as he played for both teams during his NFL career…..when Montana joked “You heard from me first. I guarantee my team will win the Super Bowl!”
NFL – 2013 – Special Interview – “Chris Meyers Sits Down For In Depth Talk With Joe Montana”
Noted for his ability to remain calm under pressure, Montana helped his teams to 32 fourth-quarter come-from-behind victories. With 58 seconds left in the 1981 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys, he completed a game-winning touchdown pass so memorable that it would become known simply as “The Catch”. In Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals, Montana threw another remarkable game-winning touchdown pass at the end of a 92-yard drive with only 36 seconds left on the game clock.
NFL – 1979 To 1994 – Special – “Joe Montana: Cool Under Pressure”
During his career with the 49ers, Montana completed 2,929 of 4,600 passes for 35,142 yards with 244 touchdowns and 123 interceptions…..as he had thirty-five 300-yard passing games including seven in which he threw for over 400 yards…..while his career totals were 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…..which was 2nd only to his 49er successor Steve Young (96.8)…..whereas, he has since been surpassed by five other players…..which ranks his passer rating at 7th all-time. Montana also had won 100 games faster than any other quarterback until surpassed by Tom Brady in 2008. His record as a starter was 117–47. His # 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. Montana also held the record for most passing yards on a Monday night game with 458 against the Los Angeles Rams in 1989.
NFL & Talk Shows – 1979 To Present – Various Popular Sports Talk Show Hosts Answer The Question “Who Is Better: Tom Brady Or Joe Montana?”
Montana is 2nd in postseason records for most games with a passer rating over 100.0 (with 12), in career postseason touchdown passes (45), passing yards (5,772) and games with 300+ passing yards (six, tied with Kurt Warner). He also tied Terry Bradshaw’s record for consecutive playoff games with at least two touchdown passes (seven)…..albeit this record has since been broken by Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and Green Bay Packers quaterback Aaron Rodgers. Undefeated in four Super Bowl appearances, Montana completed 83 of 122 passes for 1,142 yards and 11 touchdowns with no interceptions….thus earning him a Super Bowl record passer rating of 127.8. The 1st player ever to win three Super Bowl MVP awards, Montana also holds the Super Bowl record for most pass attempts (122) without throwing an interception.
NFL – 1979 To 1994 – Special – “Joe Montana Documentary – Biography of the life of Joe Montana”
He was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times and selected All-Pro six times. He is also the only player to have two touchdown passes of 95+ yards. Montana was listed at # 4 on the NFL Network’s The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players, with teammate Jerry Rice at #1.
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2nd in playoff games with a passer rating over 100: 12
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Most pass attempts without throwing an interception in a Super Bowl: 122
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Most wins in a Super Bowl without a loss: 4 (tied with Terry Bradshaw)
NFL – 1989 – Super Bowl XXIII – Bengals Vs 49’ers Special Highlights – “Joe Montana Engineered the Greatest Comeback in Super Bowl XXIII”
Montana earned the nickname “Joe Cool” for his ability to stay calm at key moments….and “The Comeback Kid” for his history of rallying his teams from late-game deficits. His teammates in San Francisco called him “Bird Legs” due to his very thin legs and small calves. He was called “Golden Joe” because he played in California (the Golden State)…..and also appeared on a poster superimposed in front of the Golden Gate Bridge with the wording “The Golden Great”. Two more names were provided by a San Francisco Chronicle nickname contest early in his NFL career…..with the winner being “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” (pseudonym derived from his first and middle names) in the NFL Network’s Joe’s Diner television spots.
NFL – 1979 To 1994 – Special – “Why 49ers Legend Joe Montana Still is Greatest Quarterback of All Time”
Montana has been married three times. In 1974, he wed his hometown sweetheart, Kim Moses, during his 2nd semester at Notre Dame…..as they divorced three years later. In 1981, he married Cass Castillo…..while they divorced in 1984. He met Jennifer Wallace, an actress and model, while the two worked on a Schick commercial…..and the couple married in 1985. They have four children…..with Alexandra (b. October 10, 1985), Elizabeth (b. December 20, 1986), Nate (b. October 3, 1989) and Nick (b. April 28, 1992). Both of his sons played football for De La Salle High School…..when Nate became an undrafted free agent from West Virginia Wesleyan after transferring from Notre Dame and the University of Montana…..as did Nick from Tulane University (having transferred from the University of Washington and Mt. San Antonio College).
NFL & Music – 1989 – San Francisco 49’ers Special Rap Video – “We Are Tha Niners”
Montana resides in San Francisco. He placed his $49 million, 500-acre (2.0 km2) estate in Calistoga, California, on sale in 2009, which was reduced to $35 million in January 2012. He owns horses and produces wine under the label Montagia. Montana also devotes his time to charitable causes, particularly the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
NFL & Talk Shows – 2020 – ESPN 1st Take With Stephen A. Smith & Max Kellerman Cover The Subject Of Who Is The GOAT? Brady Vs. Montana?
In coming to a conclusion of this post about the life and time of “The Comeback Kid Joe Cool”…..it has become aware to me that Joe Montana really does have a rightful claim to standing alongside Tom Brady as the greatest NFL quarterback of all time…..as his career statistics are on the same plane as Brady’s….and I have adjusted my sportsphile opinion considerably…. cuz he didn’t grow up in the West Coast Offense….a good game was 190 yards passing with 2 TD’s…..not anything like 425 yards passing with 5 TD’s …..whereby if the stats that were a result of the West Coast Offense from Brady’s career, and the two are very similar in there career numbers…..plus, you could take away Tom Brady’s stats the past 6 years (making his career the same as Joe Cool’s)…..and I think you’d be surprised at how close the two actually were. So, currently, my vote for G.O.A.T would be The Comeback Kid Joe Montana.
