Joe Montana gives his answer on whether he'd play during a pandemic
One national championship with Notre Dame and four Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers, there’s no question Hall of Famer Joe Montana is one of the best to ever throw a football.
But with the upcoming season still murky amid a national pandemic, the retired great was candid in an interview with Yahoo Sports about whether he’d step onto the field.
“I’m not sure I would,” Montana said. “Even though I love the game, at some point in time you need someone that can step in and say, ‘You know, this is crazy.’”
The debate surrounding whether college sports should resume in the fall amid a global pandemic has forced university officials to make a difficult decision regarding postponing the season or playing in a limited capacity. The Big 10 was the first Power Five conference to postpone its season on Tuesday and Pac-12 followed shortly after.
“You know, the game is crazy enough,” The Comeback Kid continued. “Then, you add this on top of it. Look at baseball. They can’t do it and it’s not even a contact sport. So, how do you have people that close to each other all the time and that many people on each team to protect those kids from themselves.”
On top of the pandemic, many players have become social justice warriors since the killing of George Floyd, using their platform to discuss the ongoing topic of inequality in the U.S. Montana praised those athletes for doing so.
“Everybody has their beliefs and things need to change,” he said. “It’s great to see these guys coming together and using it in other ways also.”
Montana also discussed Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his impact on the game at such a young age. For the Chiefs to become back-to-back Super Bowl champions, Montana said the team needed to improve on just one area.
“I’ll be the first to say it, the reason we won all our championships was because of our defense,” he acknowledged. “With the rules change with the quarterback, you’ve got to find guys who can actually get to the quarterback quickly. When you can have people of that caliber to your team, you’ve got to do it. Whether it’s through the draft or a trade.”
When asked his early predictions for next year’s big game, Montana delivered a rather confident response.
“Right now, I’m hoping for another 49ers-Chiefs Super Bowl again. That’d be fun. Tampa Bay might have something to say about that along the way.”
Though Montana’s playing days are long over, the 64-year-old’s presence will still be seen across Notre Dame’s campus this fall.
On Wednesday, Guinness beer announced they are now a partner and the official beer of Notre Dame Fighting Irish Alumni and Fans. Seeing as he brought a national title to South Bend, it’s only fitting Montana serve as national ambassador for their partnership. Look out for Montana’s image on television, social media, and other areas where applicable.
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