Joe Montana, selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 1979 National Football League Draft, had a stellar career with the 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. A master of late-game comebacks, Montana directed his teams to 31 fourth quarter come-from-behind wins during his illustrious career, including a 92-yard drive in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XXIII.
His uncanny ability to bring a team back from apparent defeat was so common that it simply became referred to as “Montana Magic.” A true student of the game, Montana won the NFL’s passing title in both 1987 and 1989. He topped the NFC in passing five times (1981, 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1989).
Thirty-nine times he passed for more than 300 yards in a game, including seven times in which he surpassed 400 yards. His six 300-yard passing performances in the post-season are an NFL record. He also owns the career playoff record for attempts, completions, touchdowns, and yards gained passing.
Eleven times the New Eagle, Pennsylvania native led his team to the playoffs. Along the way, he captured nine divisional championships and victories in Super Bowls XVI, XIX, XXIII, and XXIV. His outstanding play in Super Bowls XVI, XIX, and XXIV earned him Most Valuable Player honors in each game.
Named All-NFL three times and All-NFC on five occasions, Montana was voted to the Pro Bowl eight times, which was a league record for a quarterback at the time. In 1992, after missing 31 consecutive games due to an injury to his throwing arm, Montana made a dramatic comeback. In the second half of the regular season finale, a Monday Night Football offering vs. the Detroit Lions, Montana performed his magic of old, completing 15 of 21 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns as the 49ers defeated the Lions 24-6.
In 1994 Montana became just the fifth quarterback to pass for more than 40,000 yards in a career. At the time of his retirement, he ranked fourth in career passing yardage (40,551 yards), attempts (5,391), and passing touchdowns (273). His 3,409 completions ranked third all-time, and his career passer rating of 92.3 was second all-time.
All-NFL: 1987 (AP, PFWA, PW); 1989 (AP, PFWA, NEA, SN, PW); 1990 (AP, NEA)
All-NFL Second Team: 1981 (AP, NEA); 1983 (NEA); 1984 (AP, NEA); 1987 (NEA)
All-NFC: 1981 (UPI, PW); 1984 (UPI, PW); 1985 (UPI); 1987 (UPI, PW); 1989 (UPI, PW)
All-NFC Second Team: 1990 (UPI)
(8) – 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986*, 1988, 1990*, 1991*, 1994*
* Did not play
[1st] Most Consecutive Passes Completed – 22 (vs. Cleveland {5} Nov. 29, 1987; vs. Green Bay {17} Dec. 6, 1987)
[1st] Most Consecutive Games, 300 or More Yards Passing – 5 (1982)
[2nd] Highest Passer Rating, Career – 92.3
[2nd] Most Games, 400 Yards or More Passing, Career – 7
[2nd] Highest Completion Percentage, Career – 63.24
[2nd] Highest Passer Rating, Season – 112.4 (1989)
[Tied for 2nd] Most Consecutive Games, 300 or More Yards Passing – 4 (1990)
[3rd] Most Passes Completed, Career – 3,409
[3rd] Most Season Leading League, Completion Percentage – 5 (1980-1981, 1985, 1987, 1989)
[3rd] Most Seasons, 3,000 or More Yards Passing – 8 (1981, 1983-1985, 1987, 1989-1990, 1994)
[3rd] Lowest Percentage, Passes Had Intercepted, Career – 2.58 (5,391-139)
[Tied for 3rd] Most Consecutive Passes Completed – 18 (vs. L.A. Rams {13} Oct. 28, 1984; vs. Cincinnati {5} Nov. 4, 1984)
Super Bowl Records
[1st] Highest Passer Rating, Career – 127.8
[1st] Most Passes Completed, Career – 83
[1st] Most Consecutive Completions, Game – 13 (vs. Denver, SB XXIV)
[1st] Most Yards Gained Passing, Career – 1,142
[1st] Most Yards Gained Passing, Game – 357 (vs. Cincinnati, SB XXIII)
[1st] Most Touchdown Passes, Career – 11
[Tied for 1st] Most Games, Winning Team – 4 (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV)
[Tied for 1st] Lowest Percentage, Passes Had Intercepted, Career – 0.00 (122-0)
[Tied for 1st] Most Attempts, Without Interception, Game – 36 (vs. Cincinnati, SB XXIII)
[2nd] Most Passes Attempted, Career – 122
[2nd] Highest Completion Percentage, Career – 68.0
[2nd] Highest Completion Percentage, Game – 75.9 (vs. Denver, SB XXIV; 29-22)
[2nd] Most Touchdown Passes, Game – 5 (vs. Denver, SB XXIV)
[2nd] Most Attempts, Without Interception, Game – 35 (vs. Miami, SB XIX)
Post-Season Records
[1st] Most Passes Attempted, Career – 734
[1st] Most Passes Completed, Career – 460
[1st] Most Yards Gained Passing, Career – 5,772
[1st] Most Games, 300 or More Yards Passing, Career – 6
[1st] Most Touchdown Passes, Career – 45
[2nd] Highest Completion Percentage, Game – 86.7 (vs. L.A. Rams, Jan. 14, 1990; 30-26)
[Tied for 2nd] Most Touchdown Passes, Game – 5 (vs. Denver, SB XXIV)
[Tied for 2nd] Most Consecutive Games, Touchdown Passes – 10 (1988-1993)
[3rd] Most Passes Had Intercepted, Career – 21
[Tied for 3rd] Most Consecutive Games, 300 or More Yards Passing – 2 (1983-1984)
[Tied for 3rd] Most Touchdown Passes, Game – 4 (vs. Minnesota, Jan. 6, 1990)
49ers’ records held by Montana
(Records through the 1992 season, Montana’s final season with San Francisco)
[1st] Most Passes Attempted, Career – 4,600
[1st] Most Passes Completed, Career – 2,929
[1st] Most Yards Gained, Passing, Career – 35,124
[1st] Most Touchdown Passes, Career – 244
[1st] Most Seasons, 3,000 or More Yards Passing – 7
[1st] Most Consecutive Passes Completed – 22
[1st] Most Consecutive Passes Without Interception – 154
[1st] Most Yards Gained Passing, Season – 3,944 (1990)
[1st] Most Touchdown Passes, Season – 31 (1987)
[1st] Highest Completion Percentage, Season – 70.2 (1989)
[1st] Highest Passer Rating, Season – 112.4 (1989)
[1st] Most Passes Attempted, Game – 60 (vs. Washington, Nov, 17, 1986)
[1st] Most Passes Completed, Game – 37 (vs. Atlanta, Oct. 6, 1985)
[1st] Most Yards Gained, Passing, Game – 476 (vs. Atlanta, Oct. 14, 1990)
[1st] Most Touchdown Passes, Game – 6 (vs. Atlanta, Oct. 14, 1990)
[2nd] Highest Completion Percentage, Career – 63.7 (4,600-2,929)
[2nd] Most Yards Gained, Passing, Game – 458 (vs. L.A. Rams, Dec. 11, 1989)
[2nd] Longest Pass Completion – 96t (to Jerry Rice vs. San Diego, Nov. 27, 1988)
[3rd] Most Passes Had Intercepted, Career – 123
[3rd] Longest Pass Completion – 95t (to John Taylor vs. L.A. Rams, Dec. 11, 1989)
Chiefs' records held by Montana
(Records through the 1994 season, Montana’s final season with Kansas City)
[1st] Most Passes Completed, Game – 37 (vs. San Diego, Oct. 9, 1994)
[Tied for 1st] Most Passes Attempted, Game – 55 (vs. San Diego, Oct. 9, 1994)
[2nd] Most Passes Attempted, Season – 493 (1994)
[2nd] Most Passes Attempted, Game – 54 (vs. Denver, Oct. 17, 1994)
[2nd] Most Passes Completed, Season – 299 (1994)
[2nd] Most Passes Completed, Game – 34 (vs. Denver, Oct. 17, 1994)
[2nd] Most Games, 300 or More Yards Passing, Season – 4 (1994)
[2nd] Lowest Percentage, Passes Had Intercepted, Season – 1.83 (1994 – 493-9)
[Tied for 2nd] Most Consecutive Games, 300 or More Yards Passing – 2 (1994)
[3rd] Highest Completion Percentage, Season – 60.74 (1993 – 298-181)
[3rd] Most Yard Gained Passing, Season – 3,283 (1994)
[3rd] Lowest Percentage, Passes Had Intercepted, Season – 2.34 (1993 – 298-7)
League Statistical Championships
Passing Titles: 1987, 1989
Passing Touchdown Leader: 1982*, 1987
NFC Statistical Championships
Passing Titles: 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989
Passing Touchdown Leader: 1982, 1984*, 1985, 1987
Team Statistical Championships
Passing Titles: 1980^, 1981^, 1982^, 1983^, 1984^, 1985^, 1986^, 1987^, 1988^, 1989^, 1990^, 1993^^, 1994^^
Passing Touchdown Leader: 1980^, 1981^, 1982^, 1983^, 1984^, 1985^, 1986^, 1987^, 1988^, 1989^, 1990^, 1993^^, 1994^^
* Tied; ^SF San Francisco 49ers; ^^KC Kansas City Chiefs
Super Bowl XVI MVP (1981)
Super Bowl XIX MVP (1984)
1986 Co-Comeback Player of the Year (PW)
1989 MVP/Player of the Year (PFWA, AP, NEA, SN, MX)
1989 Offensive Player of the Year/MVP (AP, PW)
1989 NFC Most Valuable Player (UPI)
Super Bowl XXIV MVP (1989)
1990 MVP/Player of the Year (AP)
NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1980s
Super Bowl Silver Anniversary Team
NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
| 1979 |
San Francisco 49ers |
2 |
14 |
0 |
(4th) |
| 1980 |
San Francisco 49ers |
6 |
10 |
0 |
(3rd) |
| 1981 |
San Francisco 49ers |
13 |
3 |
0 |
(1st) |
| 1982 |
San Francisco 49ers |
3 |
6 |
0 |
(11th*) |
| 1983 |
San Francisco 49ers |
10 |
6 |
0 |
(1st) |
| 1984 |
San Francisco 49ers |
15 |
1 |
0 |
(1st) |
| 1985 |
San Francisco 49ers |
10 |
6 |
0 |
(2nd) |
| 1986 |
San Francisco 49ers |
10 |
5 |
1 |
(1st) |
| 1987 |
San Francisco 49ers |
13 |
2 |
0 |
(1st) |
| 1988 |
San Francisco 49ers |
10 |
6 |
0 |
(1st) |
| 1989 |
San Francisco 49ers |
14 |
2 |
0 |
(1st) |
| 1990 |
San Francisco 49ers |
14 |
2 |
0 |
(1st) |
| 1992 |
San Francisco 49ers |
14 |
2 |
0 |
(1st) |
| 1993 |
Kansas City Chiefs |
11 |
5 |
0 |
(1st) |
| 1994 |
Kansas City Chiefs |
9 |
7 |
0 |
(2nd) |
| * NFC regular season finish in strike-shortened season. |