Joe Montana Would Take Himself Over Tom Brady

The 49ers legend joined SI on Radio Row ahead of Super Bowl LVII.

Tom Brady has pulled out ahead in most “NFL GOAT” discussions, thanks to his late-career run of Super Bowl wins and incredible longevity. No one can tell 49ers legend Joe Montana that he doesn’t still lay claim to that title, however.

Joe Cool sat down with Sports Illustrated‘s Lacey Jane Brown on Radio Row at Super Bowl LVII ahead of Sunday’s game. They played a fun game where he picked between two great quarterbacks to win a game. 

After making picks between Terry Bradshaw, John Elway, Roger Staubach, Lamar Jackson, Fran Tarkenton, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, Montana was asked the question that everyone was waiting for to end the exercise: himself or the seven-time Super Bowl winner.

“Oh I’m taking me, for sure,” Montana said without hesitation.

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Montana doesn’t have quite the same number of titles or the longevity of Brady, but when it came down to the biggest games, he was unbeatable. He finished with a 4–0 record with San Francisco in Super Bowls XVI, XIX, XXIII and XXIV, completing 68% of his passes for 1,142 yards, 11 touchdowns and no interceptions in those games. He was named MVP in three of those games.

Brady, who grew up in the San Francisco area idolizing Montana, was 7–3 in the Big Game with five MVP awards before his retirement this offseason.