Looking back at the great NFL career of Joe Montana

Joe Montana is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. There aren't many fans and pundits who would argue with that statement.

'Joe Cool' won four Super Bowls, three Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awards, and two regular-season MVPs. He also made eight Pro Bowls and was named the NFL's 1986 Comeback Player of the Year. He pulled off a bunch more accomplishments during his career, but there's just way too many to point out.

Following a superb collegiate career at Notre Dame, Montana was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round (82nd overall pick) of the 1979 NFL Draft. He played all 16 games as a rookie, but only started one. He backed up starter Steve DeBerg and attempted just 23 passes all season long.

Montana became the 49ers' full-time starter during the 1981-82 season. That year, he led the team to a 13-1 record and threw a game-winning touchdown to Dwight Clark in the NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Niners went on to win Super Bowl XVI, knocking off the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21.

In 1984, Montana's 49ers went 15-1 and later demolished the Miami Dolphins 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX.

San Francisco drafted legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice in 1985. Rice, who teamed up with Montana to form one of the greatest tandems of all time, helped the club win two more Super Bowls over the next five years.

An elbow injury later forced Montana to miss the entire 1991 season and the majority of the 1992 campaign. While he was sidelined, backup Steve Young emerged as a star, which led to a quarterback controversy in the Bay Area. Young remained the starter and Montana was eventually traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

'Joe Cool' ended his career with the Kansas City Chiefs

Joe Montana ended his career with a stint with the Chiefs

Several Hall of Fame quarterbacks have ended their careers with different teams after enjoying years of success with another franchise. A few examples include Peyton Manning going from the Indianapolis Colts to the Denver Broncos. Another one is Tom Brady joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following his days with the New England Patriots.

Montana did this as well when the 49ers traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993. But unlike Manning and Brady, he didn't win a ring with his second team. He did, however, lead the Chiefs to the playoffs in each of his two seasons with the franchise, including a trip to the 1993 AFC Championship Game.

Montana retired following the 1994 season and was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.