Joe Montana Net Worth - Pulptastic

What is Joe Montana’s Net Worth?

Joe Montana, a retired professional American football player and current venture capital investor, has a net worth of $150 million dollars. He is widely considered one of the best professional athletes ever, known for his unflappability and incredible decision-making skills in tense situations.

Montana served as quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, leading them to four Super Bowl victories. He 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 earning more money in retirement from venture investments and endorsement deals than he did during his playing days, Montana is known by several nicknames, including “Joe Cool,” “The Comeback Kid,” and “Golden Joe.” He is noted for his ability to remain calm under pressure and enjoyed an exceptional career that left a permanent mark on the world of NFL.

Joe Montana’s NFL Career Earnings

Joe Montana earned a total of $25.5 million during his NFL career. His highest single-season earnings were $4 million, which he earned in 1993 and 1994 from the Kansas City Chiefs. Adjusted for inflation, that’s the same as earning around $7.5 million in today’s dollars. Montana’s $25.5 million career earnings are worth approximately $53 million today.

Montana’s first NFL contract was a 3-year $255,000 deal with the San Francisco 49ers that paid an average annual salary of $85,000 after a signing bonus of $50,000. In 1984, he signed a 6-year $6.3 million deal with the Niners that boosted his average annual salary to a bit more than $1 million, or around $3 million per year in today’s dollars.

In 1990, Montana signed a 4-year, $13 million extension with the Niners that boosted his average annual salary to $3.25 million and came with a $500,000 signing bonus. Later that same year, he was named NFL MVP. His final NFL contract was a 3-year $10 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Joe Montana’s Lucrative Endorsement Deals

Aside from his NFL salary, Joe Montana has earned tens of millions through endorsement deals. Even after retiring, he continues to earn even more money from endorsements than his total salary. Montana has appeared in commercials for Guinness, Schick, Papa Johns, Mastercard, AT&T, and other brands.

Early Life and Education

Joe Montana was born in Pennsylvania in 1956. His father worked in finance and his mother was a secretary. He grew up playing sports and learned football from his father. Montana attended Waverly Elementary, Finleyville Junior High, and Ringgold High School where he played football, baseball, and basketball. He was named an All-American quarterback during his senior year of high school and accepted a scholarship to Notre Dame. Ringgold High School’s football stadium is named after him.

Joe Montana did not play varsity football until his sophomore year at Notre Dame due to the school’s policy of not allowing freshmen on the team. In 1975, Montana caught the attention of coach Dan Devine during spring practice, and he started in the final spring game. He missed the 1976 season due to a separated shoulder but played as quarterback in 1977, leading Notre Dame to an 11-0 record and the AP/Coaches national title.

In the 1979 Cotton Bowl, Montana helped Notre Dame score three touchdowns in the final minutes of the game despite battling hypothermia in the freezing temperatures. The team won by one point, and the game was ranked #3 on ESPN.com’s 2002 list of the greatest bowl games. Montana graduated from Notre Dame in 1979 with a degree in business administration and marketing.

Later that year, the San Francisco 49ers drafted Montana in the third round as the 82nd pick.

Joe Montana’s Super Bowl Wins and Retirement

Joe Montana became the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in 1980 and played in that position for 10 years. He led the team to victory in Super Bowl XVI in 1982, where he won the Super Bowl MVP Award, and then again in 1985 and 1990. In 1989, the 49ers narrowly defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII, and in 1990, they won with a score of 55-10 against the Denver Broncos. Montana was named the “Sports Illustrated” Sportsman of the Year in 1990.

After suffering a back injury in 1986, Montana was able to recover and went on to win the 1986 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. In 1991 and 1992, Montana was out with an elbow injury, and Steve Young proved himself as an effective quarterback in his place. When Montana returned, Young did not want to be relegated to a backup quarterback, and the 49ers agreed to let Montana seek a trade. He signed a 3-year, $10 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs in April 1993, and that year, the Chiefs won their first division title in 22 years.

Joe Montana announced his retirement on April 18, 1995, and Super Bowl XXX was dedicated to him. The San Francisco 49ers retired his number (16) in December 1997.

Joe Montana’s NFL Career Achievements

Joe Montana finished his NFL career with 273 touchdowns, 139 interceptions, and more than 40,000 passing yards. He had 300-yard passing games 35 times and held the record for the most games with a passer rating over 100.0. Montana was the first player to be awarded MVP in 3 Super Bowls and was chosen for the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He received the NFL Most Valuable Player Award in 1989 and 1990.

When he retired, only 1 player (Steve Young) had a higher passer rating than he did, and he held the record for the fastest any quarterback had won 100 games until Tom Brady won his 100th game in 2008. The NFL Network named him #4 on “The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players” in 2010.

Joe Montana’s Venture Capital Success

After retiring from the NFL, Joe Montana became a venture capitalist with Liquid2 Ventures, a Bay Area-based firm he co-founded. The firm has invested in several successful companies, including GitLab, which went public in October 2021. Liquid2’s $100,000 investment in GitLab was worth $63 million after the company’s market cap reached $15 billion. The firm reportedly has a dozen other pre-IPO unicorn companies in its portfolio.

Personal Life of Joe Montana

Joe Montana was married to high school sweetheart Kim Moses from 1974 to 1977 and Cass Castillo from 1981 to 1984. He sued Moses for $75,000 in 2008 after she sold memorabilia and letters from his time at Notre Dame. Montana married actress Jennifer Wallace in 1985, and they have four children together – Alexandra (born 1985), Elizabeth (born 1986), Nathaniel (born 1989), and Nicholas (born 1992). Nathaniel and Nicholas both played football in high school and college.

In 1986, Montana underwent surgery to widen his spinal cavity and remove a ruptured disc. He made a quick recovery and was back to playing football just 55 days after his surgery.

Joe Montana has his own wine under the Montagia label, which he produces in partnership with Beringer winemaker Ed Sbragia. He has also owned several horses, with his favorite being named That Cool Cat.