Joe Montana

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Lore & Background

Montana's reputation for clutch performance was forged early in college at Notre Dame. In the 1978 Cotton Bowl against Houston, known as the 'Chicken Soup Game,' he fought off hypothermia with his body temperature dropping to 96 °F (35.6 °C). After halftime, medical staff warmed him with intravenous fluids and blankets before he returned to lead three touchdowns in eight minutes for a 35–34 victory. Later, as an NFL player, this trait defined his career. In 1986, after suffering a severe back injury in week one, he won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. His most famous college moment came against Air Force when, trailing 30–10 with just over five minutes left, he engineered a comeback to win 31–30. Athletic director Moose Krause called it 'better than last week,' highlighting Montana's ability to perform under extreme pressure.

In Their Own Story

The 1981 NFC Championship Game against Dallas featured one of NFL history's most celebrated plays: 'the Catch.' Montana threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Dwight Clark, propelling the 49ers toward their first Super Bowl title. That same year, he led a 92-yard drive against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII to secure another championship, a moment that became a staple of highlight films. In the 1977 season at Notre Dame, after starting quarterback Gary Forystek suffered a broken vertebra and clavicle, Montana entered with 11 minutes remaining against Purdue, trailing 24–14. He threw for 154 yards and a touchdown to win 31–24, earning the top spot on the depth chart. By his senior year in 1978, he had already helped Notre Dame secure an AP/Coaches national title with an eleven-win season.

Reader's Guide

Joe Montana's professional journey began in 1979 when he joined the San Francisco 49ers, where he played for 14 seasons. He holds Super Bowl career records for most passes without an interception (122) and a passer rating of 127.8. He was named NFL MVP in both 1989 and 1990, and his highest NFC passer ratings came in 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1989. In 1993, he was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for his final two seasons. The 49ers retired his No. 16 jersey after his career concluded. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 and named to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994. Post-football, he became a venture capitalist through Liquid 2 Ventures.

Did You Know?

• Montana was named to Parade's All-American team after his senior year at Ringgold High School.
• He turned down a basketball scholarship from North Carolina State despite being an all-state player who led Ringgold to the 1973 WPIAL Class AAA championship.
• In 2006, Sports Illustrated rated him the number-one clutch quarterback of all time.
• His family name was originally Montani, an Italian surname from the Camonica Valley in northern Italy.
• During his 1978 'Chicken Soup Game' performance against Houston, Montana returned to the field after receiving chicken soup and warmed IV fluids in the locker room.