Pro Football Historian (PFH) is a blog page written by Flint Given. Pro Football Historian or PFH is a page to inform people on prior NFL events that people might not know about. Learning about teams from the 1920s or even the first few NFL World Championships in the 1930s fascinates me. It's these kinds of events that I want to discuss in this blog. Hopefully you are interested and will continue to check up on my blogs.
Nicholas Anthony Buoniconti was an American professional football player who was a middle linebacker in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Buoniconti played professionally for the Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins, winning two Super Bowls with the Dolphins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
Nicholas Buoniconti was born to Nicholas Anthony Buoniconti Sr. and Pasqualina "Patsy" Mercolino in Springfield, Massachusetts. The couple ran a family bakery in the predominantly Italian South End of the city called Mercolino's Italian Bakery (closed in its 99th year around September 2017). The 3rd generation family bakery was located at: 1011 East Columbus Ave., Springfield, MA, 01105. They were known for their delicious baked Italian breads, loafs, etc. Nick was raised Roman Catholic and played football for Cathedral High School, where a plaque honoring him as a "Hometown Hall of Famer" was unveiled in 2012.
Nicholas Buoniconti graduated from Notre Dame, and was drafted by the American Football League's Patriots in the 13th round of the 1962 AFL draft.
In 1985, his son Marc suffered a spinal cord injury making a tackle for The Citadel, rendering him a quadriplegic. Nick became the public face of the group that founded the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, now one of the world's leading neurological research centers.
Nick was married twice, and had three children by his first marriage.
As a tackle, Nicholas Buoniconti was the captain of the 1961 Notre Dame football team, but NFL scouts considered him too small to play pro football. Drafted in the 13th round by the Boston Patriots in the 1962 American Football League college draft and switched to linebacker, Nicholas Buoniconti made an immediate impact, as Nick was named the team's rookie of the year. The following year, Nick helped Boston capture the 1963 AFL Eastern Division title. With Boston, Nick appeared in five AFL All-Star Games, and recorded 24 interceptions, which is still the seventh-most in team history. Nick was named 2nd team All-AFL in 1963 and the following season began a run of five consensus All-AFL seasons in the following six seasons, missing only 1968 when Nick was named second-team All-AFL. Buoniconti is a member of the Patriots All-1960s (AFL) Team and the AFL All-Time Team.
Nick was traded to the AFL's Miami Dolphins in 1969. Nick continued to play well with the Dolphins, in 1969–1974 and 1976, and made the AFL All-Star team in 1969 and the NFL Pro Bowl in 1972 and 1973, when Nick led the Dolphins to Super Bowl wins. Buoniconti was also named All-AFC in 1972.
His leadership made him a cornerstone of the Dolphins' defense. During his years there, the team advanced to three consecutive Super Bowl appearances under Don Shula, the second of which was the team's 1972 undefeated season. In 1973, Nick recorded a then-team record 162 tackles (91 unassisted). Nick was named to the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl in 1972 and 1973.
Buoniconti ended his career with an unofficial 24 sacks, 18 with the Patriots and six while with the Dolphins. His 32 career interceptions rank him third all-time among NFL linebackers. His interception of Billy Kilmer late in the second quarter of Super Bowl VII set up Miami's second touchdown, which proved to be the clincher in the Dolphins' 14–7 victory over the Washington Redskins to complete the 17–0 season.
He was named the Dolphins' Most Valuable Player three times (1969, 1970, 1973). In 1990, Nick was voted as a linebacker on the Dolphins' Silver Anniversary All-Time team. On November 18, 1991, Nick was enshrined on the Miami Dolphin's Honor Roll at Hard Rock Stadium.
Buoniconti earned a J.D. degree from Suffolk University Law School during his years with the Patriots. He was a practicing attorney for a short time. As an agent, he represented some 30 professional athletes, including baseball players Bucky Dent and Andre Dawson. He was also president of the United States Tobacco Company during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Buoniconti was a leading critic of studies which showed that smokeless tobacco caused cancer of the mouth as well as other types of cancer.
In a televised interview on the Comedy Channel toward the end of 1990, when asked his reaction to the last two undefeated teams of the season suffering losses the same Sunday, Buoniconti, indicating his cheerful countenance, told Night After Night's Allan Havey, "You know, I think this smile might just stay permanently on my face."
Buoniconti also appeared in one of the Miller Lite "Do you know me?" TV ads, in which he talked about the No-Name Defense. The punch line was a variation on an old joke, with Buoniconti remarking that everyone knows him now. A passerby remarks, "Hey, I know you... you're... uh... uh..." trying to recall Buoniconti's name. Upon being told that it's Nick Buoniconti, the passerby says, "No, that's not it."
Buoniconti was a co-host of the HBO series Inside the NFL from 1978 until 2001. In 2001, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where he joined his Inside the NFL co-host, Len Dawson, who was inducted in 1987.
Buoniconti is a member of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.
Buoniconti openly shared that he struggled with neurological issues, with one or several different diagnoses potentially being the cause. On November 3, 2017, he announced that he would posthumously donate his brain to aid CTE research. In March 2018, he joined with former NFL stars Harry Carson and Phil Villapiano to support a parent initiative called Flag Football Under 14, which advises no tackle football under that age.
Buoniconti died of pneumonia on July 30, 2019, in Bridgehampton, New York, at the age of 78. He was one of at least 345 NFL players to be diagnosed after death with CTE, which is caused by repeated hits to the head.
David Wilcox, nicknamed "the Intimidator", was an American professional football linebacker who played with the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League from 1964 through 1974. Named to play in seven Pro Bowls and an All-Pro five times, Wilcox played college football at Boise Junior College and the University of Oregon. Selected by the 49ers in the third round of the 1964 NFL draft, he was also taken by the Houston Oilers in the sixth round of the 1964 AFL draft, but opted for the NFL. Wilcox was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
The 6 feet 3 inches, 241-pound Wilcox opted to sign with the more established 49ers where he went on to star for 11 seasons. Converted to outside linebacker, Wilcox quickly established himself as one of the league's finest. Nicknamed "the Intimidator," he was ideally suited for the position, both mentally and physically. Known for his ability to disrupt plays, he was particularly tough on tight ends. He did not let anybody easily off the line of scrimmage whether to block or get into a pass route. Always prepared, Wilcox was a true student of the game and worked to be fundamentally correct.
During the 1964–1974 span, the 49ers had a winning record in four seasons (1965, 1970, 1971, 1972), and made the playoffs in three consecutive seasons (1970, 1971, 1972) under head coach Dick Nolan. In 1970, San Francisco won the NFC West division title with a win-lost-tie record of 10–3–1. In a divisional game of the 1970 NFL Playoffs, San Francisco defeated the Minnesota Vikings 17–14, holding them to 124 net passing yards and 117 yards rushing. However, they lost the NFC championship game to the Dallas Cowboys.
In 1971, the 49ers had a particularly good year on defense, allowing only 216 points (15.4 points/game), 6th least in the NFL, and won the NFC West with a record of 9–5. They won their divisional game of the 1971 NFL Playoffs over the Washington Redskins, allowing only 99 yards rushing and 93 net passing yards, but again lost the NFC championship game to Dallas. In 1972, San Francisco won the NFC West for the third straight year with a record of 8–5–1, allowing on defense 249 points (17.8 points/game), 9th in the league. But they lost their divisional game of the 1972 NFL Playoffs to Dallas, thus eliminated by the Cowboys three consecutive years. In those three years, Wilcox at left side linebacker formed a strong tandem with middle linebacker Frank Nunley and right linebacker Skip Vanderbundt.
Wilcox thrived on action and wanted it all directed his way. "What I do best," Wilcox once stated, "is not let people block me. I just hate to be blocked." Hall of Fame linebacker Joe Schmidt was impressed by his strength. "He gave us fits," he remarked. "The lead block had to really come out hard to take him out because he was so strong." Aided by his speed and long reach, he was also effective in pass coverage and managed to intercept 14 passes during his career.
After each season, San Francisco would rate their players based on their performance. The typical score for a linebacker was 750. Wilcox's score in 1973 was 1,306. That season the veteran linebacker recorded 104 solo tackles, four forced fumbles, and tackled opposing ball carriers for a loss 13 times.
Wilcox was durable and missed only one game during his career due to injury. Four times he was named All-NFL (1967, 1971, 1972, 1973) by the AP and two times All-NFC (1971, 1972). He was also selected to play in seven Pro Bowls.
Born in the eastern Oregon city of Ontario, Wilcox had six sisters and a brother, John. Dave Wilcox played high school football at nearby Vale Union High School. He lived in Junction City, near Eugene; his sons Justin and Josh also played football for the Oregon Ducks in Eugene. Justin Wilcox serves as the head coach for the California Golden Bears, a Pac-12 Conference foe of Oregon.
Wilcox died on April 19, 2023, at the age of 80, shortly after having undergone heart surgery.
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Daniel Milton Rooney was an American executive and diplomat best known for his association with the Pittsburgh Steelers, an American football team in the National Football League, and son of the Steelers' founder, Art Rooney. He held various roles within the organization, most notably as president, owner and chairman.
Rooney implemented a philosophy and management style that emphasized open, practical and efficient management. The Steelers were very successful during his tenure, winning 15 division championships, eight AFC Championships, and an NFL record six Super Bowl Championships. In 2000, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his contributions to the game. He was also credited with spearheading a requirement that NFL teams with head coach and general manager vacancies interview at least one minority candidate, which has become known as the "Rooney Rule".
Outside of football, Rooney served as the United States Ambassador to Ireland, from July 2009 until his resignation in December 2012. He was also co-founder of the Ireland-related fundraising organization The Ireland Funds.
Daniel Milton Rooney was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Kathleen (née McNulty) and Pittsburgh Steelers' owner Art Rooney. In the Steelers organization, Rooney was involved in many aspects of the franchise from the time he was a young boy, often assisting his father at Pitt Stadium and Forbes Field. He grew up in the North Side neighborhood of Pittsburgh and attended North Catholic High School where he excelled as the team's quarterback. He was also the coach for the St. Peter's Elementary school football team, which was quarterbacked by future CIA Director and lifelong friend Michael Hayden. Rooney was mentored by Fran Fogerty, Joe Carr and Ed Kiely. These men assisted in teaching him the business of football. After graduating from Duquesne University, with his major in accounting, he knew football was what he wanted to pursue.
In 1960, Rooney originally worked as director of personnel for the Steelers. By early 1969, Rooney was managing the day-to-day operations of the team and personally selected the coaching hire of Chuck Noll. Rooney was appointed team president in 1975 and was officially given full operational control of the franchise. His father remained chairman and President Emeritus, as well as the public face of the franchise, until his death in 1988.
Rooney generally avoided the spotlight, but he was a very active owner behind the scenes. Rooney helped lead the negotiations of the collective bargaining agreement of 1982, and is largely credited both by owners and players for ending a strike that lasted half of the season. He was also one of the main architects of the salary cap, which was implemented in 1993. Rooney became the patriarch and controlling owner of the team, following the death of his father. In 2003, Rooney followed in his father's footsteps by slowly ceding day-to-day operations of the franchise to the next generation of the family. While Rooney was still chairman, and to many fans, the public face of the team, his son Art Rooney II assumed full operational control of the Steelers.
In 1995, Rooney tried to stop the Steelers' biggest rival, the Cleveland Browns, from moving to Baltimore. He and Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson were the only owners to vote against the move and he was a driving force in ensuring the Browns return to Cleveland in 1999.
On July 7, 2008, Rooney and his son, team president Art Rooney II, announced that they were seeking to buy out his brothers' shares in the team. The team initially said that some of Rooney's four brothers want to "get out of the NFL and focus their business efforts on their racetracks and other interests." The Wall Street Journal reported that the Steelers had "been secretly shopped to potential buyers amid continuing divisions among the five sons of the team's founder, Art Rooney Sr." This forced the Steelers to announce that prolonged, ongoing negotiations were under way concerning the "restructuring" of ownership, which could have resulted in the sale of the franchise or a consolidation of control within the Rooney family. Discussions had supposedly been taking place for the last two years. The use of the phrase "ensure compliance with NFL ownership policies" referred to the family's gambling operation. At the time of publication, they owned Yonkers Raceway, a harness racing track outside of New York City, and Palm Beach Kennel Club, a greyhound racetrack in West Palm Beach. The New York racetrack had been owned by the family since 1972, and the Florida racetrack had been owned since 1970. The team said "these facilities have added forms of gaming that are inconsistent with NFL gambling policy.", relating to the then-recent installation of slot machines. According to league policy, no NFL owner may own, directly or indirectly, any interests in a gambling casino. The NFL defines any facility with slot machines as a casino.
The Steelers' statement said that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell asked former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue to "serve as a league representative in discussions with the family in order to reach an agreement on the separation of the gambling interests and on a restructuring of ownership if the team is sold." Any sale involving an NFL team is subject to a league review and must be approved by 75% of member clubs. The Steelers were valued at $929 million by Forbes magazine in September 2007. However, Rooney's brothers: Art Jr., Tim, Patrick and John released a statement confirming that they retained Goldman, Sachs & Co. to put a price tag on the franchise, and analysts in New York placed its value between $800 million and $1.2 billion. Their shares were likely worth more than Dan and Art II had offered in the initial buyout, and it could have raised even higher and still remain under the NFL's ceiling of $150 million in ownership debt. Each Rooney brothers' stake was worth about $160 million, or less than Dan was believed to be offering. Art Jr. was the brother who might have determined if the majority of the team remains in the Rooney family. He was formerly a Pro Football Hall of Fame nominee for his drafting skills, and was fired by Dan in 1987. The brothers likely would not have retained Goldman Sachs if they felt they could soon work out a deal with Dan. The move also reflected their fears that selling to Dan, coupled with the ensuing taxes, could leave their children and grandchildren with far less money than their shares are worth.[citation needed] There was also concern if any of the brothers were to die without a change in ownership, their heirs would face estate taxes of up to 45% of the shares' value. Rooney worked with Morgan Stanley and PNC Financial Services to attempt to bring in additional investors who might prop up his buyout attempt.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Duquesne Capital Management chairman Stanley Druckenmiller was apparently interested in acquiring the team. On July 8, The Associated Press reported that a deal could be reached within days to sell a majority interest in the Steelers to Druckenmiller, taking control of the franchise away from the Rooney family. However Rooney, stopped short of guaranteeing that he and his son, would be able to stay at the helm of a team. He hinted that "many people," not just Druckenmiller, might be interested in the NFL franchise. Later, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello stated that the NFL would continue to support the Rooneys in their efforts to retain control of the Steelers, and maintained the franchise would not relocate to another city, only that the ownership will either change or be consolidated.
On November 21, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Tim and Pat planned to sell each of their 16% stakes in the Steelers, so they could remain involved in racetracks and casinos in Yonkers and West Palm Beach. John and Art Jr. each planned to keep a little less than half of their 16% stake, and Dan and Art II, were trying to acquire 30% of the team to abide by NFL policy and compiled a list of investors who, in essence, would become their new partners in the franchise.
On March 19, 2008, Rooney released wide receiver Cedrick Wilson from the Steelers, after he was arrested for punching his former girlfriend. However earlier that month, on March 8, Rooney failed to offer any type of discipline to linebacker James Harrison for slapping his girlfriend. When asked about the incident involving Wilson, Rooney stated that "the Steelers do not condone violence of any kind, especially against women". However, he was then confronted about this by Ed Bouchette and Michael A. Fuoco of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who asked why Harrison was not punished for committing the same crime. Rooney said that the cases were different and stated that "I know many are asking the question of we released Wilson and Harrison we kept. The circumstances—I know of the incidents, they are completely different. In fact, when I say we don't condone these things, we don't, but we do have to look at the circumstances that are involved with other players and things like that, so they're not all the same. What James Harrison was doing and how the incident occurred, what he was trying to do was really well worth it. He was doing something that was good, wanted to take his son to get baptized where he lived and things like that. She said she didn't want to do it."
Rooney later said that Harrison had no intention of harming his girlfriend when he went to her house to pick up his son. "The situation angered him. He didn't go there with intent." Meanwhile, Rooney stated that the Wilson case was different. According to Rooney "[Wilson] knew what he was doing. He knew where his [former] girlfriend was and went to the bar looking for her. When he got there he punched her. That's different and I understand he expressed no regret.
Afterwards, Rooney was criticized by the Women's Center and Shelter of Pittsburgh as a result of his comments. ESPN's Matt Mosley later wrote that Rooney's attempt to "explain that Harrison's heart was in the right place ... had to be one of the worst Public Relations moments in club history."
In August 2004, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writer Bill Steigerwald reported that Rooney's team received $5 million in state funds for a new, $12 million amphitheater. This was in addition to the $158 million in public subsidies the organization received to build Heinz Field. Steigerwald wrote that: Since the Steelers don't own any taxable property, the Rooneys dodge city and county real estate taxes. Heinz Field, which the Steelers operate and profit from in myriad ways, is owned by taxpayers through the Sports and Exhibition Authority. The team offices, practice field and workout facilities are leased from UPMC's tax-exempt Sports Performance Complex. Steelers players pay payroll and occupation taxes like everyone else. Fans pay the 5 percent city amusement tax on each ticket. But the Steelers - like a few other profit-making corporations - aren't exempt from paying both a city mercantile tax (3 mills on concessions, etc.) and a city business privilege tax (6 mills on gross receipts). Tax officials say these taxes are highly complicated to compute – and the final amounts the Steelers pay are top secret.
On March 17, 2009, President Obama announced he had nominated Rooney to become the next U.S. ambassador to Ireland, citing the owner's longstanding support for Irish-American charitable causes. In 2008, Rooney gave $30,000 to a Democratic Party committee that aided Obama's campaign, according to CQ MoneyLine, a non-partisan group that tracks political contributions. According to David Lewis, a Vanderbilt University political scientist and the author of The Politics of Presidential Appointments, "giving coveted ambassadorships to political supporters is a relatively low-risk way for presidents to repay campaign debts."
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton swore him in as the new ambassador to Ireland on July 1, 2009. Rooney presented his credentials to Irish President Mary McAleese on July 3, before making his first official speaking engagement at a lunch hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland. In a leaked diplomatic cable to Clinton in 2009 Rooney described Irish politics as having an "often unaccountable political class" which allows itself "perks".
In an April 2011 interview with The Irish Times, Rooney mentioned that he would consider resigning his ambassadorship in order to campaign for Obama's re-election. In a prepared statement released after that interview was published. Rooney stated, "I was asked what I could do to help [Obama] in the next election and I responded that the best thing I could do would be to help him campaign. Were I to do so, it would require my resignation as ambassador to Ireland. However, I am very pleased with my accomplishments to date and I intend to continue to carry out my duties." On December 14, 2012, he resigned as ambassador to Ireland and returned to Pittsburgh. He would eventually be replaced in June 2014 by Kevin O'Malley.
Rooney was married to his wife Patricia Regan for sixty-five years. They first met in the office of the Steelers where she was working, and got married soon after. The couple had nine children together, although he was predeceased by two of his daughters. Rooney was also the maternal great-uncle of actresses Kate Mara and her sister Rooney Mara.
In 2008, he surprised many with his public endorsement of Barack Obama for president. The family had traditionally been very private on politics, even being rumored to have a Republican bent. Rooney responded to his public endorsement with: "When I think of Barack Obama's America I have great hope. I support his candidacy and look forward to his Presidency."
Rooney was the benefactor of the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature and vice-chairman of The American Ireland Fund. He was also a founding chairman of The Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania. He was named to the PoliticsPA list of most influential individuals in Pennsylvania politics in 2002. In 2008, Rooney became an honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. He won the 2009 Jack Horrigan Memorial Award, presented by the Pro Football Writers Association to honor a league or club official "for his or her qualities and professional style in helping the pro football writers do their job." He was recognized in 2016 with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
Rooney died at the age of 84 on April 13, 2017. Attendees at his funeral in Pittsburgh included former president Barack Obama and former secretary of state John Kerry. His burial was in Christ Our Redeemer Catholic Cemetery, Ross Township, Pennsylvania.
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Joseph Clifford Montana Jr. is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 16 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. Nicknamed "Joe Cool" and "the Comeback Kid", Montana is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. After winning a national championship with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Montana began his NFL career in 1979 at San Francisco, where he played for the next 14 seasons. With the 49ers, Montana started and won four Super Bowls and was the first player to be named the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times. He also holds Super Bowl career records for most passes without an interception (122 in four games) and the all-time highest passer rating of 127.8. In 1993, Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played for his last two seasons and led the franchise to its first AFC Championship Game. Montana was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
In 1986, Montana won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. In 1989 and again in 1990, Montana was named the NFL Most Valuable Player. Montana was elected to eight Pro Bowls as well as being voted first-team All-Pro in 1987, 1989, and 1990. Montana had the highest passer rating in the National Football Conference (NFC) five times (1981, 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1989), and in both 1987 and 1989, Montana had the highest passer rating in the NFL.
Among his career highlights, "the Catch" (the game-winning touchdown pass to Dwight Clark vs. Dallas in the 1981 NFC Championship Game) and a Super Bowl-winning 92-yard drive against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII are staples of NFL highlight films.
The 49ers retired Montana's No. 16 jersey number after the conclusion of his playing career. 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 at The Sporting News ranked Montana third on their list of Football's 100 Greatest Players. Also in 1999, ESPN named Montana the 25th greatest athlete of the 20th century. In 2006, Sports Illustrated rated him the number-one clutch quarterback of all time.
When Montana arrived at Notre Dame in the fall of 1974, the football program was coached by Ara Parseghian. During Parseghian's tenure, Notre Dame won the NCAA national championship in 1966 and 1973. Parseghian's success as a coach helped him recruit highly talented players. Though Montana was a top prospect, under Notre Dame policy in 1974 freshmen were not permitted to practice with or play on the varsity team, and consequently Montana appeared only in a few freshman team games. Montana's first significant contributions to the Notre Dame football team came during his sophomore year.
Montana graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in business administration and marketing. Although the NFL Combine was not formed until 1982, NFL scouts still evaluated potential draftees through the use of combines in 1979. Candidates were rated in a number of categories on a scale of one to nine, with one being the worst mark and nine being the best mark. The categories they used were contingent on the position that the athlete played.
Despite his performance on the field, Montana was not rated highly by most scouts. At one combine, Montana rated out as six-and-a-half overall with a six in arm strength, used to judge how hard and how far a prospect could throw the ball. By comparison, Jack Thompson of Washington State rated an eight, the highest grade among eligible quarterbacks.
In the 1979 NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers selected Montana at the end of the third round with the 82nd overall pick. Montana was the fourth quarterback taken, behind Thompson, Phil Simms, and Steve Fuller, all selected in the first round.
Although Montana appeared in all 16 regular season games during the 1979 season, he only threw 23 passes. He spent most of the season as the backup on the San Francisco depth chart behind starter Steve DeBerg. Montana became the starting quarterback midway through the 1980 season.
On December 7, 1980, San Francisco hosted the winless New Orleans Saints. The Saints took a 35–7 lead at halftime. At the start of the fourth quarter, New Orleans still led by a score of 35–21, but San Francisco tied the game by the end of regulation play. In overtime, Ray Wersching kicked a field goal to win the game for San Francisco, 38–35. This marked the first fourth quarter comeback victory in Montana's NFL career. During his sixteen seasons in the NFL, this happened a total of 31 times with Montana at quarterback, 26 of those coming as a 49er.
Though San Francisco finished 1980 with a record of 6–10, Montana passed for 1,795 yards and 15 touchdown passes against nine interceptions. He also completed 64.5 percent of his passes, which led the league.
Montana began the 1981 season as San Francisco's starting quarterback. The season ended up as one of the franchise's most successful to that point. Backed in part by Montana's strong performance, the team finished the regular season with a 13–3 record. Montana helped San Francisco win two of those games with fourth-quarter comebacks. The season was a precursor to one of Montana's most memorable moments as a professional.
On January 10, 1982, San Francisco faced the Dallas Cowboys as three-point home underdogs at Candlestick Park in the NFC Championship Game. Dallas led 27–21 when San Francisco took possession with 4:54 left in regulation. The drive began on San Francisco's 11-yard line. Behind six successful Montana completions and four running plays, San Francisco moved the ball to the Dallas 13-yard line. After one unsuccessful pass and then a seven-yard gain, San Francisco faced third down from the Dallas 6-yard line. Montana took the snap and ran to his right. He then made an off-balance pass toward the back of the end zone, and San Francisco wide receiver Dwight Clark made a leaping catch for the game-tying touchdown. With just 51 seconds left on the game clock, Wersching kicked the extra point and San Francisco won the game 28–27. The reception by Clark was coined simply The Catch, and it put San Francisco into Super Bowl XVI.
San Francisco faced the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI. Montana completed 14 of 22 passes for 157 yards with one touchdown passing and one rushing touchdown. San Francisco won the game 26–21, and in recognition of his performance, Montana won the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, which he accomplished two more times before he retired. The Super Bowl win also made Montana one of only two quarterbacks – along with his idol Joe Namath – to win a college national championship and a Super Bowl. Montana, at 25 years, 227 days, was one day older than Namath was at the time of his first Super Bowl, making him the second-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl up to that time.
Montana had a prolific season in 1982. However, the regular season was shortened to nine games when members of the Player's Association went on strike. Although San Francisco failed to make the playoffs, Montana threw for 2,613 yards and 17 touchdowns during the year. He also set what was then an NFL record with five consecutive 300-yard passing games. Because the 49ers missed the playoffs, the team seriously considered trading him to the Baltimore Colts for the rights to the first overall pick in the 1983 NFL draft (and thus, the right to draft Stanford quarterback John Elway), but the 49ers reconsidered and ultimately traded their first round pick to the San Diego Chargers (used on Billy Ray Smith Jr.) weeks before the draft.
In 1983, Montana threw for 3,910 yards and 26 touchdowns in 16 regular season games. The team ended the regular season with a 10–6 record and finished first in the NFC West. In the divisional playoff game, they faced the Detroit Lions. Yet again, Montana demonstrated his ability to perform well in high-pressure situations. Despite being out-played in terms of total yardage, the 49ers trailed by just six points as the game neared its conclusion. With 1:23 remaining in regulation, the 49ers offense had the ball at the Lions 14-yard line and Montana completed a touchdown pass to wide receiver Freddie Solomon, giving San Francisco the lead on the ensuing extra-point.
The victory placed the 49ers in the NFC Championship game against the Washington Redskins. As he had done before, Montana asserted himself late in the game. The Redskins led 21–0 at the start of the fourth quarter, but Montana helped lead the 49ers back. Aided by three fourth-quarter Montana touchdown passes, the 49ers tied the game at 21. However, Redskins placekicker Mark Moseley kicked a 25-yard field goal in the waning moments of the game. Despite Montana's efforts, the team lost, 24–21.
Though the Miami Dolphins finished the 1972 NFL season with no losses, the regular season at the time comprised only 14 games. Thus, when the 49ers finished the 1984 NFL season with a 15–1 record, they became the first team to win 15 games in a single regular season.
Montana again had an excellent season and earned his second consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl. In their first two playoff games, the 49ers defeated the New York Giants and the Chicago Bears by a combined score of 44–10. In Super Bowl XIX, the 49ers faced the Miami Dolphins and their quarterback, Dan Marino.
In the game, Montana threw for three touchdowns and completed 24 of 35 passes. He established the Super Bowl record for most yards passing in a single game (331) and supplemented his passing with 59 yards rushing. The 49ers defeated the Dolphins 38–16 and Montana earned his second Super Bowl MVP award.[48] After the game, 49ers head coach Bill Walsh said: "Joe Montana is the greatest quarterback today, maybe the greatest quarterback of all time."
Aided in part by Montana's performance at quarterback, the 49ers advanced to the NFL Playoffs again in 1985; however, they lost in the NFC Wild card game to the New York Giants.
In the 1986 season, Montana suffered a severe back injury during week one of the season. The injury was to a spinal disc in Montana's lower back and required immediate surgery. The injury was so severe that Montana's doctors suggested that Montana retire. On September 15, 1986, the 49ers placed Montana on the injured reserve list; however, he returned to the team on November 6 of that year. In his first game back from injury Montana passed for 270 yards and three touchdown passes in a 43–17 49ers victory against the St. Louis Cardinals. Montana appeared in just eight games that season, and threw more interceptions than touchdown passes for the only time in his career. The 49ers finished the season with a record of 10–5–1. Montana was co-recipient (with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer) of the 1986 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
In 1987, Montana had 31 touchdown passes, a career-high, in just 13 games. Montana crossed the picket line during the NFLPA strike and threw five touchdowns against replacement players. In 1987, he also set the NFL record for most consecutive pass attempts without an incomplete pass (22), passed for 3,054 yards, and had a passer rating of 102.1. Though the 49ers finished with the best record in the NFL, they lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to the Minnesota Vikings.
Prior to the 1987 season, Bill Walsh completed a trade for Steve Young, then a quarterback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Young went on to appear in eight regular season games for the team and finished the year with a passer rating of 120.8.
Young's performance in 1987 was strong enough that by the time the 1988 season began, a controversy was in place as to who should get more playing time as quarterback. Young appeared in 11 games that year and rumors surfaced claiming that Montana might be traded.
Despite the competition for playing time, Montana received most of the playing time during the 1988 season. After a home loss to the Los Angeles Raiders that left the 49ers with a 6–5 record, the 49ers were in danger of missing the playoffs. Montana regained the starting position and led the 49ers to a 10–6 record and the NFC West division title.
The 49ers earned a trip to Super Bowl XXIII when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears in the playoffs. In the NFC Divisional Playoffs, the 49ers faced Minnesota, who had eliminated them from the playoffs the year before. Montana threw three first-half touchdowns as the 49ers won, 34–9. The victory over the Bears in the NFC Championship game is of particular note. Played at Soldier Field in Chicago, with temperatures of 17 °F (-8 °C) and a strong wind, Montana threw for 288 yards and 3 touchdowns. His first touchdown pass came on a 3rd-down play late in the first quarter in which Montana threw a perfect sideline pass to Jerry Rice and Rice outran two Bears defenders for a 61-yard score. The 49ers won 28–3 to advance to Super Bowl XXIII.
In January 1989, the 49ers again faced the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl. Of his third trip to the Super Bowl, Montana told the San Jose Mercury News: "This trip to the Super Bowl is more gratifying than the others because the road has been harder." Then, in Super Bowl XXIII, Montana had one of the best performances of his career. He completed 23 of 36 passes for a then-Super Bowl record 357 yards and two touchdowns. Despite his great performance, the 49ers found themselves trailing the Bengals 16–13 with only 3:20 left in the game and the ball on their own 8-yard line. But Montana calmly drove them down the field, completing 8 of 9 passes for 92 yards and throwing the game-winning touchdown pass to John Taylor with only 34 seconds left.
1989 proved to be successful for Montana and the 49ers. The team finished the regular season with an NFL-best 14–2 record, and their two losses were by a total of only five points. Montana threw for 3,521 yards and 26 touchdowns with only 8 interceptions, giving him what was then the highest single-season passer rating in NFL history, a mark subsequently broken by Young in 1994, and later broken again by Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts in 2004 and Aaron Rodgers in 2011 with the Packers. He also rushed for 227 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and earned the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. In a memorable comeback win in Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Montana threw four touchdown passes in the 4th quarter. He finished with 428 yards passing and five touchdown passes in the victory. The 49ers were successful in the playoffs, easily beating the Minnesota Vikings 41–13 in the divisional round and the Los Angeles Rams 30–3 in the NFC Championship game. Montana threw for a total of 503 yards and 6 touchdowns in those 2 games without a single interception. Then in Super Bowl XXIV, Montana became the first player ever to win Super Bowl MVP honors for a third time, throwing for 297 yards and a then-Super Bowl record five touchdowns while also rushing for 15 yards as the 49ers defeated the Denver Broncos 55–10, the highest single-team and most lopsided score in Super Bowl history. His postseason passer rating of 146.4 was at the time the highest ever in a single postseason. This record was later broken by Josh Allen during his 2021-2022 season with the Bills.
In 1990, Montana once again led the 49ers to the best regular season record (14–2) in the NFL. He was named by Sports Illustrated as Sportsman of the Year. A highlight from the season was a rematch with the Atlanta Falcons. Intent on blitzing Montana most of the game, Atlanta's defense allowed Montana to throw for a career-best 476 yards (49ers single-game record) and six touchdown passes, five of them to Jerry Rice. He would end up throwing for 3,944 yards and 26 touchdowns, albeit while also throwing a career-high 16 interceptions. Three of those interceptions came in a November 25 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams, which ended the 49ers' 18-game winning streak (dating back to a home loss to the Green Bay Packers in November 1989).
The 49ers run game struggled in 1990: the team averaged 3.8 yards a carry, only good enough for 19th in the league.[80] No 49er exceeded 500 yards rushing for the entire year. Fullback Tom Rathman scored the most touchdowns (7) on the ground while gaining 318 yards. Roger Craig (439 yards, 1 TD) was slowed by a knee injury suffered in week 5 against the Houston Oilers. Rookie running back Dexter Carter (460 yards, 1 TD) did not help much. Carter's only touchdown came on December 17 at the Rams; his 74-yard touchdown run that clinched home-field advantage for the 49ers constituted roughly one-sixth of his productivity in terms of yardage on the ground, and he lost four fumbles at home the following Sunday in a 13–10 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
The 49ers looked forward to becoming the first NFL team to win three consecutive Super Bowls, and they defeated Washington in the Divisional Round to advance to the NFC Championship Game to face the New York Giants. The 49ers defense was able to hold backup quarterback Jeff Hostetler and the Giants without a touchdown, but the tide of the game changed when Montana was sacked by Leonard Marshall while rolling out of the quarterback pocket; he was injured and left the game, which the Giants won, 15–13, on the last of five Giants field goals, which was set up by a fumble from 49ers running back Roger Craig.
Montana missed the entire 1991 season and most of the 1992 season with an elbow injury sustained during the 1991 pre-season. In the final game of the 1992 regular season; a Monday Night Football matchup against the Detroit Lions, Montana stepped in and played the entire second half. Despite missing nearly two full seasons, Montana proved to be very effective, sealing the victory with "insurance points". By this time, however, Steve Young had established himself as a starter, and took over for the playoffs. Though it was not known at the time, Montana would not see another snap in a 49er uniform. He suited up for the final time as a 49er in the team's NFC Championship showdown with the Dallas Cowboys, though as third-string QB behind Young and Steve Bono.
With Montana healthy and ready to play, a quarterback controversy soon emerged. Steve Young had proven his effectiveness in the two years he played while Montana was injured, and many fans and players alike felt that they had made the transition to Steve Young. Furthermore, Young did not want to play if he was used only as a backup. Nevertheless, there was also a strong sentiment that Montana was the "face of the franchise" and it would be right for him to remain so. A rift in the locker room developed, and Montana ultimately requested a trade. Young eventually led the team to another Super Bowl victory, which helped him emerge from Montana's shadow.
Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs on April 20, 1993, and signed a $10 million contract over three years. His trade was the catalyst for the subsequent Chiefs' free-agent signing of star Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen on June 9. The arrival of Montana and Allen, both former Super Bowl MVPs, generated much media attention and excitement in Kansas City. Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson had spent the 1993 off-season bringing in players to run a West Coast offense under the direction of new offensive coordinator Paul Hackett, who at one time served as 49ers quarterbacks coach to Montana, and who would report to incumbent head coach Marty Schottenheimer.
The Chiefs mailed three jerseys to Montana. One was number 3, his number from Notre Dame, which the Chiefs had retired in honor of Hall of Fame kicker Jan Stenerud, who offered to let him wear it. Another was number 19, which he wore in youth football and also briefly in training camp of the 1979 season with San Francisco, and the third was number 16, which Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson offered to let Montana wear since the organization had retired it. Montana declined Dawson's and Stenerud's offers and wore 19 instead. During the Chiefs' first offseason practice, the defensive players all remained behind after their session concluded to watch the offensive team practice "because they wanted to see Joe Montana play. That's what those guys thought of the trade. It gave everybody hope we could win a championship. That's why it was such a special time."
Montana was injured for part of the 1993 season, but was still selected to his final Pro Bowl, as the Chiefs won their division for the first time in 22 years. Montana led the Chiefs in two come-from-behind wins in the 1993 playoffs. In their wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, he threw a 7-yard fourth-down touchdown pass to send the game into overtime. Then against the Houston Oilers, he led the team to 28 second-half points, including three touchdown passes to earn the 29th fourth-quarter comeback win of his career. In the AFC Championship Game, Kansas City lost to the Buffalo Bills 30–13, with Montana suffering a concussion during the third play of the third quarter and yielding to Dave Krieg. Including their two playoff victories that year (the Chiefs only had one prior playoff win since Super Bowl IV in 1970), the 1993 Chiefs won 13 games, which tied the franchise record for wins in a season.
Montana returned healthy to the Chiefs in 1994, starting all but two games. His highlights included a classic duel with John Elway and the Denver Broncos (which Montana and the Chiefs won, 31–28) on Monday Night Football, and a memorable game in week 2 when Montana played against his old team, the San Francisco 49ers and Steve Young. In a much-anticipated match-up, Montana and the Chiefs prevailed and defeated the 49ers, 24–17. Montana led his team to a 9–7 record, sufficient for another postseason appearance, where they lost in the wild-card playoff round to the Miami Dolphins and Dan Marino, 27–17.
Montana has fondly remembered the Chiefs' home of Arrowhead Stadium with its "unbelievable roar" from field level, saying, "The thing about Kansas City, it doesn't matter whether they're winning or losing, that fan base is ridiculous. Over the years, I don't think that stadium's ever been empty. Those people there support that team and that organization like none you've seen. And it is so loud. Even after 50 years, they're still in there screaming every week. That fan base is probably one of the best in the NFL, one of the hardest places to play for sure". Head coach Marty Schottenheimer pulled Montana aside before his first game at Arrowhead and telling him to prepare for a volume he'd never experienced. Montana recalled, 'Come on, Marty, I've played in four Super Bowls. I've played all over the place,' " he said. "And Marty said, 'Just wait.' " "The thing that gets you is the whole stadium, when they sing the national anthem, is when they say, 'And the home of the … Chiefs!' Still makes your hair stand up on your arms."
On April 18, 1995, Montana announced his retirement at Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco. The event was broadcast live on local television, and included speeches from John Madden, Eddie DeBartolo Jr., and others. Highlights from Montana's stay with San Francisco and interviews with former 49ers teammates were also shown. Bill Walsh, who had served as head coach for three of Montana's four Super Bowl victories, was the emcee for the event.
Noted for his ability to remain calm under pressure, Montana helped his teams to 32 fourth-quarter come-from-behind victories. With 58 seconds left in the 1981 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys, he completed a game-winning touchdown pass so memorable that it would become known simply as "The Catch". In Super Bowl XXIII against the Cincinnati Bengals, Montana threw another remarkable game-winning touchdown pass at the end of a 92-yard drive with only 36 seconds left on the game clock.
During his career with the 49ers, Montana completed 2,929 of 4,600 passes for 35,142 yards with 244 touchdowns and 123 interceptions. He had thirty-five 300-yard passing games including seven in which he threw for over 400 yards. His career totals: 3,409 completions on 5,391 attempts, 273 touchdowns, 139 interceptions, and 40,551 yards passing. He also rushed for 1,676 yards and 20 touchdowns. When Montana retired, his career passer rating was 92.3, second only to his 49er successor Steve Young (96.8). He has since been surpassed by five other players, which ranks his passer rating at 7th all-time. Montana also had won 100 games faster than any other quarterback until surpassed by Tom Brady in 2008. His record as a starter was 117–47. His number 16 was retired by the 49ers on December 15, 1997, during halftime of the team's game against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. Montana also held the record for most passing yards on a Monday night game with 458 against the Los Angeles Rams in 1989.
Montana is second in postseason records for most games with a passer rating over 100.0 (12), career postseason touchdown passes (45), passing yards (5,772), and games with 300+ passing yards (six, tied with Kurt Warner). He also tied Terry Bradshaw's record for consecutive playoff games with at least two touchdown passes (seven), though this record has since been broken by Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Undefeated in four Super Bowl appearances, Montana completed 83 of 122 passes for 1,142 yards, 11 touchdowns, and no interceptions, earning him a Super Bowl record passer rating of 127.8. The first player ever to win three Super Bowl MVP awards, Montana also holds the Super Bowl record for most pass attempts (122) without throwing an interception.
He was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times and selected All-Pro six times. He is also the only player to have two touchdown passes of 95+ yards.
Montana was listed at #4 on the NFL Network's The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players (the highest ranking quarterback on the list), with teammate Jerry Rice at #1.
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Ronald Mandel Lott is an American former professional football player. He was in the National Football League for 14 seasons from 1981 to 1994.
Lott played college football for the University of Southern California (USC), and was honored as a consensus All-American. A first-round pick in the 1981 NFL draft, he played for the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets, and Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. Lott was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 and the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2023, and is widely considered to be one of the best of all time at the safety position in NFL history.
Lott was selected in the first round (8th overall) of the 1981 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. The level of skill demonstrated by the 6-foot, 203-pound standout was instantly recognized, and from the very beginning of training camp he had the job as the 49ers' starting left cornerback. In his rookie season in 1981, he recorded seven interceptions, helped the 49ers to win Super Bowl XVI, and also became only the second rookie in NFL history to return three interceptions for touchdowns. His outstanding play resulted in his finishing second for rookie of the year honors, behind New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor.
Lott switched to the safety position in 1985. He had the tip of his left pinky finger amputated after the 1985 season when it was crushed while tackling running back Timmy Newsome, and a bone graft surgery would not have allowed him to start the 1986 season. While Lott told doctors to amputate the tip of his pinky, years later, he regretted having the procedure done saying he should have just had an operation to fix his finger. An injury sidelined him for the season's last two games in 1986, but he still led the league with a career-best 10 interceptions, while recording 77 tackles, three forced fumbles, and two quarterback sacks. In his 10 years with the 49ers, Lott helped them win eight division titles and four Super Bowls: XVI (1981 season), XIX (1984), XXIII (1988), and XXIV (1989). He is one of five players that were on all four 1980s 49ers Super Bowl wins. The other four are quarterback Joe Montana, linebacker Keena Turner, cornerback Eric Wright, and wide receiver Mike Wilson.
After his career with San Francisco, Lott signed as a free agent in 1991 with the Los Angeles Raiders. In 1991, he led the league in interceptions (8) for a second time.
Lott signed in 1993 with the New York Jets.
After not making the Kansas City Chiefs in 1995, he returned to the 49ers in 1995, but the injuries he had suffered over the previous four seasons continued to plague him, and he announced his retirement before the season began. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000, his first year of eligibility, and was also named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team in 1994 and the 100th Anniversary Team in 2019.
In his 14 NFL seasons, Lott recorded 8.5 sacks and 63 interceptions, which he returned for 730 yards and five touchdowns. He recovered 17 fumbles, returned them for 43 yards, and gained 113 yards on kickoff returns. Lott also played in 20 postseason games, recording nine interceptions, 89 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and two touchdowns. He was named All-Pro eight times, All-NFC six times, and All-AFC once. Lott had an uncanny awareness of how a play was developing, which allowed him to break up passes and earn a reputation as one of the hardest and most efficient open-field tacklers in the history of the league.
Lott turned to broadcasting following his retirement, serving as an analyst on Fox NFL Sunday in 1996 and 1997, and working on the network's game coverage in 1998.
Lott was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His father served a career in the United States Air Force, retiring as a Senior master sergeant. He now lives in Cupertino, California, with his wife, Karen, and his children, Hailey, Isaiah, and Chloe. USA Today praised him as "one of the most successful athletes at making the transition to business." Along with former teammates Harris Barton and Joe Montana, Lott was a managing partner and a founder of HRJ Capital. Lott owns Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai car dealerships. He advises professional athletes who are making a transition to the business world. Lott is also the father of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Ryan Nece.
In 1991, Lott, along with Jill Lieber, wrote an autobiography, Total Impact. Lott inspired the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which is given annually by the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation to college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. The trophy was first awarded in 2004. Lott was the guest of honor at a CYO fundraiser at Sharon Heights Country Club in Menlo Park, CA in May 2012 where he discussed the importance of helping the community. Lott credits the late Coach Ben Parks as a central figure in the development of his vigorous philanthropic work. On February 17, 2015, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of GSV Capital Corporation, now known as SuRo Capital Corp., a publicly traded investment fund.
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