Joseph Clifford Montana was born in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh in 1956. In this coal mining and steel mill atmosphere, sports was a way to reach for a better life, and as a stellar all-around prep-athlete, he seriously considered a career in professional baseball, before enrolling at The University of Notre Dame on a football scholarship. Earning a reputation for pinpoint passing under extreme conditions, Montana led The Fighting Irish to a national collegiate football championship in 1977.
Selected by the San Francisco 49er's in the third round of the 1979 draft, he became the starting quarterback in late 1980 and led the "Niner's" to a Superbowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in 1982, earning him the Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). Under Montana's leadership, the 49er's again played in the Superbowl in 1985, as they defeated the Miami Dolphins and, once again Montana was named the Most Valuable Player of the game. In both 1989 and 1990, Montana again took the 49er's to Superbowl victories, over the Bengal and the Denver Broncos. In the 1990 game Montana again won MVP honors and thus became the first player in NFL history to win the coveted Superbowl MVP Award three times.
A training camp injury in 1991 caused Montana to miss most of the season.. He rejoined the 49er's in December 1992. In April of 1993 he was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs where he immediately breathed new life into a dormant offense. Achieving instant popularity and success in Kansa City, Montana helped to turn the football fortunes of that town around dramatically. Having never fully recovered from the elbow surgery, he retired from professional football after the 1994 season and returned to his home in the San Francisco Bay area. In addition to his three Superbowl MVP awards, Montana was voted into the NFL's postseason Pro Bowl eight times. During his injury plagued career he once had five consecutive games with over 300 yards passing (1982) and 22 consecutive completed passes (1987). He had the second highest pass completion rate on record, 63.2%. In 1989 and 1990 he was voted the NFL's Most Valuable Player. For years Montana and his favorite target, wide receiver Jerry Rice, ravaged opponents and ran up victory after victory.
Joe is quoted as saying, "I play football one play at a time, not for record books or trophies, but in finding my receiver down field, evaluating the defense, and preserving my time in the pocket, to insure against fumbles, interceptions and not advancing the ball on every play."
He was voted into The Pro Football Hall of Fame in the year 2000 and today is a highly successful businessman and family man. Nearly 10 years after retiring from football Joe is still duckin' and dodging opponents. This time it's in an arena and not on the football field. Joe was introduced to cutting horses by Kansa City Chiefs Jonathan Hayes. It is a family affair and he is a member of the National Cutting Horse Association and is now training horses. Joe knows a little about being in training himself. In his 15 year career he completed 3,409 of 5,391 passes for 40,551 yards, with 273 touchdowns and 139 interceptions.
Famous portrait artist, Michael Coupe has managed to portray a young and pensive, yet confident, quarterback who must somehow know the future of his destiny as one of the NFL's best-ever players and leaders. Joe's natural good looks, unmatched performance on the field and nonchalant manner made him a fan's idol, and advertising natural.
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