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Home , Draft (sports), Dwight Clark, Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Steve Young

Joe Montana Reading Comprehension Name______

Joe Montana is known as one of the greatest in the history of the (NFL). He was born on , 1956, in Pennsylvania. He was offered a scholarship to North Carolina State University, but ended up going to the to play football instead. In 1979, he was selected by the 49ers in the NFL .

Montana played as starting for the 49ers. The position of quarterback is an important one that requires leadership, quick decision-making skills, and strategy. Montana had all of the above, and he was known for bringing the team to victory even in the last few moments of the game. This earned him the nickname “Joe Cool.” Montana led the 49ers to his first victory in 1982. In the game before the Super Bowl, Montana threw a pass to with only 51 seconds left in the game, giving them the win. This iconic play is known as “The Catch”. The 49ers won the Super Bowl again in 1985.

The following spring, the 49ers drafted as a wide receiver. Rice and Montana worked well as a pair, and were a star passing combination for six seasons. With Montana on the team, the 49ers won the Super Bowl again in 1989 and 1990. However, Montana suffered an elbow injury that forced him to miss every game but one in the 1991 and 1992 seasons. By the time he had recovered, the 49ers had established a new quarterback: . Montana’s time with the team had come to an end.

Montana was traded to the , and he played with them until his retirement in 1995. Over the course of his career, he had executed 31 comeback victories in the fourth quarter of the game, had been named Super Bowl MVP three times, and had made 273 touchdown passes. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.

1. Montana was drafted to the 49ers in 1979 and traded to the Chiefs in 1993. About how long did he play with the 49ers? a. 6 b. 12 c. 14 d. 21

2. Being a good quarterback requires leadership, quick decision-making, and strategy. Which of the following is not a good demonstration of one of these skills? a. Increasing team morale before a game b. Making a well-planned pass at the end of the game to take back the lead c. Ignoring feedback from teammates about a play not working d. Changing strategies last minute for more effective game play

3. Why was Montana nicknamed Joe Cool? a. Because he could clinch a victory even in the final seconds of the game b. Because he often yelled at other team members in angry outbursts c. Because he kept his cool during controversial umpire decisions d. Because he was the most popular quarterback in the team’s history

4. Which of the following sentences from the passage provides evidence that Montana worked well with others? a. Montana played as starting quarterback for the 49ers. b. Montana led the 49ers to his first Super Bowl victory in 1982. c. The following spring, the 49ers drafted Jerry Rice as a wide receiver. d. Rice and Montana worked well as a team, and were a star passing combination for six seasons.

5. In which year did Montana not win a Super Bowl with the 49ers? a. 1982 b. 1987 c. 1989 d. 1990

6. With which motto would Montana most likely agree? a. It isn’t over until the last second. b. If at first you don’t succeed, it’s probably not worth it. c. You’re better off on your own anyway. d. Passion over compassion.

7. A student wants to learn more about “The Catch”. What would be the best resource to use? a. A biography of Montana b. A play-by-play summary of the game featuring The Catch c. Receipts from a concession stand that was open during the game featuring The Catch d. A documentary about Montana and Rice’s teamwork

Answers

1. C 2. C 3. A 4. D 5. B 6. A 7. B