Joe Montana age: How old was the legendary 49ers QB when he retired?
Joe Montana has long retired from the NFL and has been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But when he was on the field, he was one of the most fearsome competitors that the NFL has ever seen. For a quarterback to have inspired both Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers is not a mean feat.
Montana was picked by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1979 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. He slipped all the way to the third round before being picked and slipped under many people's radars. But what he would go on to achieve with the 49ers made sure that his name would be etched forever in football history.
Joe Montana won four Super Bowls with them, three Super Bowl MVP awards and two NFL MVP awards. However, after his last Super Bowl, the 49ers began their transition towards a newer and younger quarterback. In 1992, they decided to part ways with Montana. Thankfully for them, they had Steve Young, another Hall-of-Famer, waiting in the wings. Young would take over and keep the dynasty rolling with more Super Bowl wins.
All time great quarterbacks Steve Young of the San Francisco 49ers and his former teammate Joe Montana, then playing for the Kansas City Chiefs. #SteveYoung #SanFrancisco #Niners #JoeMontana #KansasCity #Chiefs #quarterback #football https://t.co/UhjAxLWDjF
Joe Montana joined the Kansas City Chiefs for the 1993 and 1994 seasons before retiring. He was 37 years old when he retired. But in those two seasons, he elevated Kansas City to a place that would be their highest point before Patrick Mahomes came over.
Joe Montana's time with the Kansas City Chiefs before retirement
In 1993, Joe Montana led the Chiefs to their first division title in 22 years. Despite being partly injured for the season, he still made the Pro Bowl and led the Chiefs in the playoffs. In his usual fashion, he led two comebacks in two playoff wins, coming up clutch when it mattered the most.
He took Kansas City all the way to the AFC Championship game, where they succumbed to the dominant Buffalo Bills. Unfortunately, in that game, he had to leave in the third quarter with a concussion, robbing him of the ability to lead yet another comeback.
not to scare anyone but the last time the chiefs and bill played in the AFC championship... the chiefs QB joe montana left the game with a concussion.......... https://t.co/WLUKWAsGOa
He returned healthy for the 1994 season but saw his powers wane. He led the Chiefs to a 9-7 record and the playoffs again, but this time they fell in the Wildcard Round to the Miami Dolphins and Dan Marino. He would hang up his cleats after that season. By then, his legacy was already well secured and would serve as the benchmark for future quarterbacks.