Net Worth Ranker
What Is Joe Montana’s Net Worth?
Joe Montana, a celebrated former American football quarterback and now a venture capital investor, has an estimated net worth of $150 million. This impressive figure reflects his successful transition from the football field to the business world, where his investments and endorsements have significantly augmented his earnings.
Joe Montana’s Career Earnings and Endorsements
During his NFL career, Joe Montana earned a total of $25.5 million in salary. His first NFL contract with the San Francisco 49ers was a 3-year deal worth $255,000, which included a $50,000 signing bonus and an average annual salary of $85,000. In 1984, he signed a 6-year contract with the 49ers for $6.3 million, boosting his annual salary to over $1 million. In 1990, Montana signed a 4-year, $13 million extension with the 49ers, which included a $500,000 signing bonus and an average annual salary of $3.25 million. His final NFL contract was with the Kansas City Chiefs, a 3-year deal worth $10 million. His highest single-season earnings came in 1993 and 1994 with the Chiefs, where he earned $4 million each year.
While $25.5 million may seem modest compared to today’s NFL salaries, Montana’s income from endorsements has been substantial. In fact, he has earned significantly more from endorsements in retirement than he did during his playing career. Montana has appeared in commercials for major brands such as Guinness, Schick, Papa John’s, Mastercard, and AT&T. These endorsement deals have played a crucial role in building his $150 million net worth.
Early Life and Education
Joseph Clifford Montana, Jr. was born on June 11, 1956, in New Eagle, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, and attended Waverly Elementary, Finleyville Junior High, and Ringgold High School. At Ringgold High School, the football stadium has been officially known as Joe Montana Stadium since 2006. Montana was a standout athlete in football, baseball, and basketball. He even received a basketball scholarship offer from North Carolina State, which he turned down to pursue football. During his senior year in 1974, “Parade” magazine named him an All-American quarterback. Montana accepted a scholarship to Notre Dame, where he earned a degree in business administration and marketing in 1979.
College Football Career at Notre Dame
Montana’s college football career at Notre Dame was marked by significant achievements. Although freshmen were not allowed to play on the varsity team, Montana made an impression during spring practice in 1975. After sitting out the 1976 season due to a separated shoulder, he returned in 1977. That season, Notre Dame achieved an 11-0 record, securing the AP/Coaches national title. A highlight of his college career was the 1979 Cotton Bowl on January 1, 1979, where, despite battling hypothermia, Montana led the team to score three touchdowns in the final minutes, securing a one-point victory. In 2002, ESPN ranked the 1979 Cotton Bowl #3 on their list of the greatest bowl games ever.
Professional Football Career with the 49ers and Chiefs
The San Francisco 49ers selected Joe Montana in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft as the 82nd pick. He became the 49ers’ starting quarterback in 1980 and held the position until 1990. Montana led the 49ers to four Super Bowl victories. In 1982, the 49ers won Super Bowl XVI, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21, with Montana earning the Super Bowl MVP Award. The team secured another victory in 1985 at Super Bowl XIX, beating the Miami Dolphins 38-16. In 1989, the 49ers narrowly defeated the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII with a score of 20-16. In 1990, Montana led his team to another Super Bowl win, scoring 55-10 against the Denver Broncos, and was named “Sports Illustrated” Sportsman of the Year. After an elbow injury sidelined him in 1991 and 1992, Montana was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he signed a 3-year, $10 million deal in April 1993, leading the Chiefs to their first division title in 22 years. Montana announced his retirement on April 18, 1995, and the 49ers retired his number (16) in December 1997.
Joe Montana’s NFL Records and Accomplishments
Joe Montana’s NFL career was filled with remarkable achievements. He finished with 273 touchdowns, 139 interceptions, and over 40,000 passing yards. He achieved 300-yard passing games 35 times, and at the time of his retirement, only Steve Young had a higher passer rating. Montana also held the record for the fastest quarterback to win 100 games until Tom Brady surpassed him in 2008. He holds the record for the most games with a passer rating over 100.0. Montana was the first player to be awarded MVP in three Super Bowls, and the NFL Network ranked him #4 on “The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players” in 2010. He was selected for the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. Montana received the NFL Most Valuable Player Award in 1989 and 1990.
Venture Capital Investments with Liquid2 Ventures
After retiring from the NFL, Joe Montana leveraged his Bay Area connections to embark on a venture capital career. He co-founded Liquid2 Ventures, where he serves as one of the general partners. Liquid2 Ventures has invested in several successful companies, including Pinterest, Airbnb, Robinhood, and GitLab. One of Liquid2’s most successful investments was in GitLab. In 2015, Joe and his partners invested $100,000 in GitLab, when the company was valued at $12 million. When GitLab went public on October 14, 2021, its market cap reached $15 billion by the end of its first day of trading, making Liquid2’s initial $100,000 investment worth $63 million. Liquid2 reportedly has a dozen other pre-IPO unicorn companies with billion-dollar market caps in its portfolio. These ventures significantly contribute to Joe Montana’s net worth.
Real Estate Holdings
Joe Montana’s real estate portfolio includes several properties. In 2009, he listed his 500-acre estate in Calistoga, California, for $49 million. This property features almost 10,000 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, and three and a half bathrooms. The estate includes an olive grove, a bocce court, a basketball court, a spa, a skeet shooting range, stables for horses, a guest house, a pool, a private pond, and housing for the groundskeeper. He reduced the asking price to $35 million in January 2012 and re-listed it for $28.9 million in July 2019. In June 2021, he relisted for $24.5 million. This property was Montana’s family’s holiday home, as they spend most of their time in the house just outside of Los Angeles.
In 1998, Montana bought an 87-acre ranch in Calistoga for $1.8 million and put it on the market for $3.1 million in 2019. Additionally, in 2015, he purchased a San Francisco condo for $2.275 million. In August 2021, Joe and his wife acquired an oceanfront house in Malibu, California, for just over $7 million. These real estate investments contribute to Joe Montana’s overall financial portfolio and net worth.
Personal Life and Family
Joe Montana’s personal life includes three marriages. He was first married to his high school sweetheart, Kim Moses, from 1974 to 1977, and later to Cass Castillo from 1981 to 1984. In 1985, he married actress Jennifer Wallace, whom he met while filming a Schick commercial. Together, they have four children: daughter Alexandra, born on October 10, 1985; daughter Elizabeth, born on December 20, 1986; son Nathaniel, born on October 3, 1989; and son Nicholas, born on April 28, 1992. Both Nathaniel and Nicholas played football in high school and college. In 1986, Montana underwent surgery to widen his spinal cavity and remove a ruptured disc, returning to football just 55 days after the procedure. Montana also has his own wine label, Montagia, produced in partnership with Beringer winemaker Ed Sbragia, and has owned several horses, with That Cool Cat being his favorite.
