Joe Montana is a retired professional American football player and venture capitalist with a net worth of $150 million. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional athletes, Montana led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl victories during his tenure as quarterback. His calmness under pressure and strategic decision-making earned him the nickname “Joe Cool.” Montana was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 and was ranked as the #4 NFL player of all time by NFL.com.
Despite his illustrious career in the NFL, Montana’s post-retirement earnings from venture investments and endorsement deals have far surpassed his football salary. Over the course of his career, Joe earned a total of $25.5 million in the NFL, a figure significantly lower than the $55 million Joe Burrow earned in the 2023 season alone.
Known by several nicknames, including “The Comeback Kid” and “Golden Joe,” Montana’s ability to perform under pressure is legendary. His career left an indelible mark on the NFL, earning him a lasting place in football history.
Career Earnings
Montana’s NFL earnings were relatively modest compared to today’s stars. His total career salary amounted to $25.5 million, a figure that, adjusted for inflation, equates to around $53 million today. His highest annual earnings were $4 million in 1993 and 1994, a sum that would be equivalent to approximately $7.5 million in today’s market.
Joe’s first contract with the 49ers was a three-year deal worth $255,000, with an average salary of $85,000 per year. In 1984, he signed a six-year contract worth $6.3 million, raising his average salary to just over $1 million annually, which would be equivalent to earning around $3 million in today’s dollars.
By 1990, Montana had signed a four-year $13 million extension, bringing his average salary to $3.25 million. That year, he was named the NFL MVP. His final NFL contract was with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he earned $10 million over three years.
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Endorsements
In addition to his NFL salary, Joe Montana made tens of millions of dollars through endorsement deals. Over the years, Montana has been the face of brands such as Guinness, Schick, Papa John’s, Mastercard, and AT&T. In fact, his earnings from endorsements in retirement have far outpaced the money he earned on the field during his playing career.
Joe’s continued success in endorsements has made him one of the most marketable former athletes, and these contracts have provided a significant stream of income since his NFL career ended.
Early Life
Joe Montana was born on June 11, 1956, in New Eagle, Pennsylvania, to Joe Sr., a finance company manager, and Theresa, a secretary. Growing up in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, Joe developed a love for sports early on. His father taught him how to play football, and he joined a youth football team at age eight.
Montana attended Waverly Elementary, Finleyville Junior High, and Ringgold High School. He played football, basketball, and baseball in high school and was offered a basketball scholarship to North Carolina State, which he declined. In football, he served as a backup quarterback for the first two years before becoming the starter in his junior year. He was named an All-American quarterback by Parade magazine in 1974.
College Football Career
Montana’s college football career began at Notre Dame, where he did not play varsity football as a freshman due to NCAA rules. However, after coach Ara Parseghian resigned due to health issues, Dan Devine took over as coach and started Montana during the 1975 spring game.
Despite a separated shoulder sidelining him for the 1976 season, Montana played in 1977, leading the team to an undefeated season and the AP/Coaches national title. In 1979, Montana’s performance in the Cotton Bowl, where he helped Notre Dame win by one point despite battling hypothermia, became legendary. ESPN later ranked the game as one of the greatest bowl games ever.
Montana graduated with a degree in business administration and marketing in 1979, the same year the San Francisco 49ers drafted him in the third round of the NFL Draft.
Professional Football Career
Joe Montana became the 49ers’ starting quarterback in 1980 and led the team to victory in Super Bowl XVI in 1982, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals. Montana was named Super Bowl MVP, an honor he would repeat in 1985 and 1990.
Throughout his career, Montana helped the 49ers win four Super Bowls, including a 38-16 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX, and a 20-16 win over the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII. He was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 1986 after recovering from a back injury.
Montana’s 1990 Super Bowl victory, a 55-10 win over the Denver Broncos, further cemented his legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. After suffering elbow injuries, Montana signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993, where he led the team to its first division title in 22 years. Montana retired in 1995, and the 49ers retired his jersey number (16) in 1997.
Records and Accomplishments
Over the course of his career, Joe Montana threw for over 40,000 passing yards and 273 touchdowns. He finished with 35 games where he passed for over 300 yards, and at the time of his retirement, only one player (Steve Young) had a higher passer rating than Montana.
Montana held the record for the fastest quarterback to reach 100 wins until Tom Brady surpassed it in 2008. He was also the first player to win three Super Bowl MVP awards and holds several NFL records, including the most games with a passer rating over 100.0. Montana was named to numerous All-Time Teams and was awarded the NFL MVP in both 1989 and 1990.
Liquid2 Ventures
After retiring from the NFL, Joe Montana transitioned to venture capital. He co-founded the firm Liquid2 Ventures, which has invested in several successful companies, including Pinterest, Airbnb, Robinhood, and GitLab. The firm’s most successful investment came in 2015 when it invested $100,000 in GitLab, which went public in 2021 with a market cap of $15 billion. By that point, Liquid2’s initial investment had grown to $63 million.
The firm has a portfolio of other pre-IPO companies with billion-dollar valuations, further establishing Montana as a successful investor.
Real Estate
Joe Montana has owned several impressive properties over the years. In 2009, he listed his 500-acre estate in Calistoga, California, for $49 million, eventually reducing the price to $24.5 million in 2021. In 1998, he purchased another Calistoga ranch, which he later sold for $3.1 million in 2019.
In 2015, he bought a condo in San Francisco for $2.275 million. More recently, in 2021, he and his wife purchased an oceanfront house in Malibu for just over $7 million. Montana’s real estate investments add another layer to his already impressive financial portfolio.
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