Joseph Clifford Montana Jr.
Quarterback · New Eagle, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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Joseph Clifford Montana Jr.: Quarterback, born 11 June 1956 (70) in New Eagle, Pennsylvania, U.S.. Career totals: 40,551 passing yards, 273 touchdowns, 92.3 passer rating.
Player information
| Full name | Joseph Clifford Montana Jr. |
| Born | 11 June 1956 (age 70) |
| Birthplace | New Eagle, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Height | 188 cm |
| Weight | 91 kg |
| Position | Quarterback |
| College | University of Notre Dame |
| Draft | 1979 NFL Draft — Round 3, Pick 82 overall (San Francisco 49ers) |
Career totals
| Games | Pass Yds | Pass TD | Int | Rating | Record |
|---|
| 192 | 40,551 | 273 | 139 | 92.3 | 117-47 |
Season by season
| Season | Team | GP | Pass Yds | Pass TD | Int | Rating |
|---|
| 1979 | San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 96 | 1 | 0 | 81.1 |
| 1980 | San Francisco 49ers | 15 | 1,795 | 15 | 9 | 87.8 |
| 1981 | San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 3,565 | 19 | 12 | 88.4 |
| 1982 | San Francisco 49ers | 9 | 2,613 | 17 | 11 | 88.0 |
| 1983 | San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 3,910 | 26 | 12 | 94.6 |
| 1984 | San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 3,630 | 28 | 10 | 102.9 |
| 1985 | San Francisco 49ers | 15 | 3,653 | 27 | 13 | 91.3 |
| 1986 | San Francisco 49ers | 8 | 2,236 | 8 | 9 | 80.7 |
| 1987 | San Francisco 49ers | 13 | 3,054 | 31 | 13 | 102.1 |
| 1988 | San Francisco 49ers | 14 | 2,981 | 18 | 10 | 87.9 |
| 1989 | San Francisco 49ers | 13 | 3,521 | 26 | 8 | 112.4 |
| 1990 | San Francisco 49ers | 15 | 3,944 | 26 | 16 | 89.0 |
| 1992 | San Francisco 49ers | 1 | 126 | 2 | 0 | 118.4 |
| 1993 | Kansas City Chiefs | 11 | 2,144 | 13 | 7 | 87.4 |
| 1994 | Kansas City Chiefs | 14 | 3,283 | 16 | 9 | 83.6 |
- 1991: did not play — recovering from elbow surgery.
Career notes
Retired after the 1994 season, his final year with the Kansas City Chiefs. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. Won 4 Super Bowls but only 3 Super Bowl MVPs — Super Bowl XXIII's MVP went to teammate Jerry Rice, not a discrepancy, just a different award winner that year.
Team honours
| Honour | Year(s) |
|---|
| Super Bowl champion (San Francisco 49ers) | XVI (1981 season), XIX (1984 season), XXIII (1988 season), XXIV (1989 season) (4x) |
Individual awards
| Award | Year(s) |
|---|
| NFL Most Valuable Player | 1989, 1990 (2x) |
| Super Bowl MVP | XVI, XIX, XXIV (3x) |
| AP Offensive Player of the Year | 1989 |
| Pro Bowl | 8x |
| All-Pro First Team | 1987, 1989, 1990 (3x); Second Team 1981, 1984 (2x) |
| Comeback Player of the Year | 1986 |
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