49ers Joe Montana vs. Patriots Tom Brady: Revisiting the GOAT Argument after Super Bowl LI
By Peter Panacy
The New England Patriots’ victory in Super Bowl LI adds another chapter to whether quarterback Tom Brady should be considered the GOAT over San Francisco 49ers Hall of Famer Joe Montana. Niner Noise adds the next perspective.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana versus New England Patriots QB Tom Brady.
One has five Super Bowl rings. The other has four. One was named Super Bowl MVP four times. The other quarterback was named such three times.
Montana’s career spanned 15 years. Brady just wrapped up his 17th year and is still playing at the most elite of levels.
San Francisco 49ers
So who’s the greatest of all time — the GOAT, if we should so call it?
Well, it probably boils down to which quarterback you rooted for the most. If you’re a 49ers fan, Montana remains the answer. Yet if you’ve found yourself cheering on the Patriots, Brady stands alone. The honest truth is there’s no clear answer, and there never will be.
But Brady certainly added to his historic accolades with a thrilling come-from-behind victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Regardless whether or not you think he’s the greatest, you can’t deny his among the elite of elites.
Brady’s fifth Super Bowl crown is the most of any quarterback. Former 49ers and Cowboys Hall of Famer Charles Haley is the only other pro to state such a claim — two rings with San Francisco and three with Dallas.
Prior to Super Bowl 50, Niner Noise broke down this same argument. It was especially noteworthy because the Pats had the chance to secure a fifth ring for Brady at the home of his boyhood-49ers team, Levi’s Stadium.
New England didn’t quite make it then, of course. But this year’s championship relights the discussion.
So let’s sift through the latest chapter, shall we? And we’ll come up with our revised conclusion at the very end.