Joe Montana Biography

Joseph Clifford Montana Jr. was born on June 11, 1956, and played 16 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. Montana earned the nicknames Joe Cool and the Comeback Kid during his career as a standout quarterback. After winning a national title with Notre Dame, Montana began his NFL career in 1979 at San Francisco and remained there for 14 seasons. He was named NFL Most Valuable Player in 1989 and again in 1990, highlighting his peak performance years. Montana received first-team All-Pro honors in 1987, 1989, and 1990, and was selected to eight Pro Bowls. He was honored on the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994 and recognized as a member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked him third on their list of Football's 100 Greatest Players.