Joe Montana
Position:	Quarterback
College:	Notre Dame
NFL draft:	1979, 3rd round, 82nd overall, San Francisco 49ers
Pro career:	15 seasons
Hall of Fame:	Pro Football 49ers

Joe Montana (born June 11, 1956) is widely considered one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. He led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowls (1982, 1985, 1989, 1990) and became the only player to win three Super Bowl MVP awards. 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.

Drafted in 1979 from Notre Dame after leading the team to victory in the Cotton Bowl to secure the national championship, Montana led the 49ers for 12 seasons. Injured during the NFC Championship game in January of 1991, Montana missed all of the 1991 season and most of the 1992 season (he did appear in a Monday Night Football game at the end of the '92 season and was spectacular).

Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in April, 1993, and spent his two final seasons with the Chiefs before retiring at the end of the 1994 season. As a Chief, Montana led two come-from-behind wins in the 1993 playoffs and reached the AFC Championship game where Kansas City lost to the Buffalo Bills. In 1994, Montana's highlight's included a classic duel with John Elway on Monday Night Football and a final playoff appearance.

Montana earned the nickname the "Comeback Kid" due to his ability to rally his teams from late game deficits, including 31 fourth quarter comebacks. Film clips of several of his clutch pass completions to Jerry Rice and Dwight Clark remain a staple of football highlight films.

For his career with the 49ers, Montana completed 2,929 of 4,600 passes for 35,142 yards and 244 touchdowns. He had thirty-five 300 yard passing games. His career totals: 3409 completion on 5391 attempts, 273 touchdowns, 40,551 yards. His career passer rating was 92.3, 3rd highest of all-time, behind Kurt Warner and successor Steve Young. He also rushed for 1676 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Montana holds post-season records for most career touchdown passes (44), and passing yards (5772) among others. In his four Super Bowls, Montana completed 83 of 122 passes 1,142 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning him a quarterback rating of 127.8. He played in eight Pro Bowls.

Critics have largely slated his comedy apperances, e.g. Saturday Night Live. However his 3½ minute piece on the Late Show with David Letterman in 1996 has been praised as nothing short of inspired.

External links

• Joe Montana's enshrinement speech http://www.profootballhof.com/index.cfm?section=team&cont_id=187387  : NFL Hall of Fame
• Joe Montana player page at Pro Football Hall of Fame http://www.profootballhof.com/index.cfm?section=team&cont_id=player&personnel_id
  =1302&roster_id=42
• Dave Letterman spends a day with Joe Montana http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/dave_tv/ls_dtv_comedy_clips2.shtml#