Joe Montana Trade Redux
by Chris Thorman on May 5, 2009 10:54 AM CDT
in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Offseason
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As Bob Gretz mentioned this morning, NFL.com had an article yesterday about the top ten trades of great players for draft picks.
Among the Hershel Walker, O.J. Simpson and Eric Dickerson trades was of course the 1993 trade of QB Joe Montana to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jason Feller of NFL.com fills us in on the details, in case you don't remember:
49ers side: Filling in for an injured Joe Montana in 1991 and 1992, Steve Young played sensationally. Given Young's stellar play, San Francisco decided to give him the starting job permanently and trade franchise icon Joe Montana, who was recovering from an eblow injury. Young wound up having a Hall of Fame career for the 49ers and they got the 18th overall pick in the 1993 draft for Montana. After trading down twice, they used the pick to get DT Dana Stubblefield, who was the 1997 Defensive Player of the Year.
Chiefs side: In addition to Montana, the Chiefs also picked up veteran S David Whitmore and a third-round pick in 1994 that they used on WR Lake Dawson. Montana led the Chiefs to the AFC Championship Game in 1993 and another playoff appearance in 1994. Dawson and Whitmore were complementary players.
A 37-year old HOF quarterback for a first rounder and a couple of first day picks? No way I make that trade today. The Chiefs knew they were giving away those picks in order to win a Super Bowl but still.
My recollection from sixteen years ago was that Joe Montana was "it." He was the final piece of the Kansas City Chiefs puzzle that would finally put our team over the top and into the Super Bowl.
I had a Joe Montana #19 jersey. I had his first football card as a Chief. Life for a Chiefs fan was good. That excitement didn't last too long though. Montana only played two seasons before retiring. Despite a couple of really great seasons after Cool Joe left, the Chiefs still haven't won a playoff game since the man left. It's been different since the mid-90s and I can't quite put my finger on it. With Joe Montana, we had an undefinable edge. With Steve Bono and Elvis Grbac at the helm of the offense, we hoped the defense would hold it together for the win.
Okay, enough reminiscing. For some reason that's hurting a bit this morning.
Click here for a ton of historical Chiefs games for free, playable online and click over for one of Joe Montana's first interviews as a Chief.
And make sure you vote in the poll below.
Montana interviewed after his second preseason game as a Chief.
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If Joe Montana was never a Chief
I wouldn’t be a Chief fan today. I thought I was a 49er fan, but my fandom went with the Chiefs when Montana was traded in 1993. That being said, perhaps I should have remained a 49er fan ;-)
If you go out and you’re looking for the girl to wink at you and she hasn’t winked at you before 12 she isn’t going to. You might as well go home.
by craig in calgary on May 5, 2009 11:07 AM CDT reply actions
Same here
Long live Montana
Proud Supporter of Tyler Thigpen.
THE GREATEST CHIEFS MOMENTS IN THE MODERN ERA ARE DUE TO JOE MONTANA
I’ve been a fan since age 9. The Super Bowl wins, although embedded in my mind, almost seem like ancient history. Montana is the greatest player to wear any KC uniform. We were fortunate for having those years and it is the Kings greatest legacy.
since63
Would I make the trade again?
How old is he and can he still throw the ball? :)
Bill Parcell’s: "You are what your record says you are."
"My job is not to collect talent, but to build a team. Individuals make the Pro Bowl. Teams win championships. That is our goal."—Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.
Who would last longer behind last years O-Line
Montana now or Brokie?
Paddy
by Patrick Allen on May 5, 2009 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions
of course he can
give him some aleeve in the morning for his arthritis in his elbow. and he’ll still show Tom Brady whose the man.
Proud Supporter of Tyler Thigpen.
now? no way!
Perhaps if the Chiefs were right on the verge like they were then, it would make sense. Not with the current situation though. I was a huge Montana fan, and loved the 49ers while he was there, and was totally fired up when he came here. If he hadn’t gotten KO’d vs buffalo, they may have had that elusive superbowl win, at least an appearance. It was a hell of a try, and maybe I’d do something like that again if all the other pieces were in place except a capable field general.
i agree
would make that trade in that situation again? absolutely.
would i make that trade with our team today? no freaking way. we need draft picks more than we need brett favre.
Brett Favre was no Montana
Brett will get into the HOF because he was an icon to Green Bay for so long and has the record for most consecutive starts, but Montana was a better QB. I wouldn’t trade a 1st rounder for Favre (not even a few years ago) but would tempted to for the right QB. Here’s my question, if you thought Tom Brady only had two years of playing time left in him, would you trade a 1st rounder for him? I would at least seriously consider it.
A little off subject but...
I love the site with the historical games and am looking for the dreaded broncos vs. chiefs “vaseline” playoff game. Was it in 97’?
I was channel surfing last night
and NFL network was showing a “classic game”
Montana’s 1994 comeback at Denver…suck it Elway!
(was that the last freakin’ time we won in Denver? =) )
Marley will be walking soon...she could probably play Linebacker better than some of the guys we had.
And to the Vikes?!
If you go out and you’re looking for the girl to wink at you and she hasn’t winked at you before 12 she isn’t going to. You might as well go home.
by craig in calgary on May 5, 2009 11:52 AM CDT up reply actions
No way Chris.
Montana took us to the AFC Championship game. Secondly, Favre’s passing with the Jets was suspect and even his teammates begrudged his playing as well as locker-room attitude.
Montana played smart and wasn’t detrimental to the team on the field or in the locker-room.
Lastly, if Montana didn’t suffer that concussion against the Bills, we would have been playing in the SB instead of the Bills losing for the 4th time.
Bill Parcell’s: "You are what your record says you are."
"My job is not to collect talent, but to build a team. Individuals make the Pro Bowl. Teams win championships. That is our goal."—Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.
Not that Favre was as good as Montana
Didn’t mean to imply that.
by Chris Thorman on May 5, 2009 12:47 PM CDT up reply actions
4
count em 4 rings, hell yeah i’d make that trade. best qb ever to play the game, gave chiefs hope. went to the playoffs both seasons. of course i wish he would have played a few more seasons, or had gotten traded a year earlier. but it gave KC hope after that. and it felt great seeing Montana put a whooping on Young when they played.
Proud Supporter of Tyler Thigpen.
Are you kidding me??
In retrospect, I’d be even MORE likely to make the trade. Montana for a #18 Carl Peterson pick? Sold!
trade
I remember that was the year we had Montana and Marcus Allen the wild card game in pitt. then the game in houston yep grreat year to be a chiefs fan…..
speaking of that montana jersey I’m looking at it right now lol anyone interested??
I'm just a pilgram in an unholy land (ugh, does it have to be skin nation though?)
jersy
dont tempt me lol.
Proud Supporter of Tyler Thigpen.
Pittsburgh Game
The Steelers playoff game was actually at Arrowhead. I was there with my dad. Awesome game!
Very Late in game 4th and 7 Pass to Tim Barnett at the back of the End Zone to tie that game is the biggest play in Arrowhead history.
It provide the biggest moment of joy in a crowd I’ve ever experienced. Unforgetable moment after being down most of the game and following a dramatic Keith Cash blocked punt. Bill Cowhers first year I think. The 4th 1/4 of that game is a strong viewing reccomendation at the Chiefs Game site.
since63
lives
montana actually lives close by me. about 45 min away. he goes to highschool football games locally cuz his son is was in the championship game which one of the local teams here is in the state or regional championship games all the time. i’ve heard that he’s a real cool guy. i’d give my left nut to meet the guy.
Proud Supporter of Tyler Thigpen.
what a great time
with Montana and Allen on the field together. Watching the interview he was a great person.
by bringbacktheglory on May 5, 2009 2:39 PM CDT reply actions
Hey
I dont knwo if anyones said anything about this weeks sports illustrated, but Peter King wrote an article about the Chiefs, mainly about Pioli and Haley, along with the who had good picks and bad picks and what not in the draft
Anders on my bad list
To my dying day, I will always maintain that if Kimble Anders didn’t drop that beautiful pass between the numbers in the end zone in Buffalo, the Chiefs would have come back to win that game.
Whenever Montana played (be it with Notre Dame, 49ers, or Chiefs), that was a fun team to watch. For that alone, the trade was worth it.
I'd do it today in a heartbeat.
“A 37-year old HOF quarterback for a first rounder and a couple of first day picks?”
I see the logic here, but Montana was MORE than just your average “37-year old HOF quarterback.” He’s probably the greatest QB to ever play the game. People forget that this wasn’t “Farve to the Jets” or “Namath to the Rams” or even “Unitas to the Chargers” like people in the media like to play it off as. Joe Montana still had many great days left in him. He took us to the AFC Championship, he beat Elway in Denver for the ONLY Chiefs win at Mile High in the Schottenheimer era and was and probably still is the best QB we’ve had since Dawson. Montana did great things for the Chiefs and Kansas City and I’m forever grateful for that. I wouldn’t reconsider that trade for the world.
Regarding The Eric Dickerson Trade
Darryl Henley, who the Rams ended up getting with one of those picks, ended up getting jailed for running a major cocaine distribution ring, threatening to kill one of the Rams cheerleaders who’d helped him run it, and taking out a hit on the judge in his trial.
Typical Rams. :)
Predictions for 2009
1. Todd Haley's going to struggle with managing his staff in his rookie year as head coach.
2. The Lions will draft Matt Stafford, the Rams will draft Jason Smith, and the Chiefs will draft either Aaron Curry or Eugene Monroe.
3. Maurice Carthon will be the most hated man on the Chiefs' coaching staff within two years.
4. Larry Johnson has already played his last meaningful game for the Kansas City Chiefs. He's gone before the 2009 season starts.
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