San Francisco 49ers and the Montana Dynasty

Any review of professional football dynasties throughout history would be incomplete without mentioning the great San Francisco 49ers dynasty that existed over the course of the 1980s and into the first part of the following decade. In fact, that dynasty was one of the most impressive to ever take the field, as it occurred during the playing years of some of football's all time great stars - men like Steve Young and the indomitable Jerry Rice. Over a sixteen year period, 49ers teams compiled ten-plus win seasons each year and, with their great quarterback Joe Montana, won four amazing Super Bowls.

The legend under center

Joe Cool, as Montana was often called, first began play with the 49ers during the 1979 season. He would remain there until the end of the 1992 campaign, when he would be traded to the Chiefs. His style of play is best remembered for his unshakable determination to win, even when it appeared that his team was doomed to lose. Time and again, Montana would lead his team down the field during the closing moments of games in which they were trailing, and make some spectacular throw to seal a win. Well, that's the legend anyway. The reality is that during his entire sixteen-year career, there were 31 fourth period comeback drives - many in crucial playoff situations or other big games. As time has passed, the legend of Joe the comeback kid has grown to where it now seems as though the 49ers were always coming back from a deficit. The fact is that they were too good to get behind that often!

The Super Bowl King

Of his four Lombardi trophies, the first is easily the most thrilling tale to tell. It began with an NFC title matchup versus the Cowboys in early 1982, and a six point deficit in the waning moments of the game. Montana rallied his team and marched down the field with a flurry of quick strike plays, finally finishing the drive with a touchdown pass to Dwight Clark that is now legendary. Called "the Catch", the play is now part of NFL history, and sent the San Francisco team to that year's Super Bowl against the Bengals - a game they ultimately won. Montana earned the Most Valuable Player of the Super Bowl award - a feat he would repeat twice more before his career was over. The greatness had begun, and the 49ers would be led by Montana back to the Super Bowl - and three more trophies - in the nineteenth Super Bowl and in the twenty third and twenty fourth.

A part of history

There is no simple way to describe Joe Montana, and time seems to have worn some of the luster from his legend. In fact, there are even some NFL commentators who refer back more to the controversy with Steve Young than to the many accomplishments the team achieved during his time there. For Joe, even his trade to Kansas City couldn't quench his desire to win. In fact, after the trade, he simply went about his business and took the Chiefs to the AFC title game.