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Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr., (born June 11, 1956), nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe and Comeback Joe, is a retired and iconic American (United States) football (American football) player whose professional career in the National Football League (NFL) spanned the late 1970s through the mid-1990s. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 (1979 NFL season) with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback (QB) for the next 14 seasons (season (sport)). He spent the 1993 and 1994 seasons, his final two years in the NFL, with the Kansas City Chiefs. While a member of the 49ers, Montana started four Super Bowl games and the team won all of them. In 2000 (2000 NFL season), Montana was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In 1989 (1989 NFL season), and again in 1990 (1990 NFL season), the Associated Press named Montana the NFL Most Valuable Player (National Football League Most Valuable Player Award) (MVP), and Sports Illustrated magazine named Montana the 1990 "Sportsman of the Year". Four years earlier, in 1986 (1986 NFL season), Montana won the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. Montana was elected to eight Pro Bowls, as well as being voted 1st team All-Pro by the AP in 1987, 1989, and 1990. Montana had the highest passer rating in the National Football Conference (NFC) five times (1981 (1981 NFL season), 1984 (1984 NFL season), 1985 (1985 NFL season), 1987 (1987 NFL season), and 1989); and, in both 1987 and 1989, Montana had the highest passer rating in the entire NFL.

Noted for his ability to remain calm under pressure, Montana helped his teams to 31 fourth quarter come-from-behind wins. In the closing moments of the 1982 NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl XXIII, Montana threw game-winning touchdown passes (Forward pass#American and Canadian Football). The touchdown at the end of the championship game was so memorable that sports journalists (Sports journalism), fans (Fan (person)), and many others, refer to the play simply as "The Catch" (The Catch (American football)). The touchdown in the closing moments of Super Bowl XXIII came at the end of a 92-yard drive (American football#Kickoffs and free kicks).

The 49ers retired the number 16, the jersey number Montana wore while with the team. In 1993, Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs and led the franchise to its first AFC Championship Game in January 1994. In 1994, Montana earned a spot on the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team; he is also a member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. In 1999, editors (literary editor) at The Sporting News ranked Montana third on their list of "Footballs 100 Greatest Players." Also in 1999, ESPN named Montana the 25th greatest athlete of the 20th century (SportsCentury#top). In 2006, Sports Illustrated rated him the number one clutch quarterback of all-time.