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The life of an NFL player isn't for the faint of heart and Hall of Famer Joe Montana once shared his story of what the true cost of playing in the league is.
A 4x Super Bowl champion, Montana is regarded as one of the best to ever play the game. He played 15 years in the NFL and back then, players' health wasn't as protected as it is today and Montana is now paying the price.
In an interview with USA Today back in 2016, Joe Montana detailed the struggles he is going through as a result of having a long and distinguished career in the NFL.
Montana said via USA Today:
“The mental part was hard initially when I first retired,’’ said Montana. “Because it’s quick - cold turkey, the game’s gone. Then the physical stuff tries to catch up with you."
“My hands have been, oh my gosh, in the middle of the night they hurt like crazy. They kept saying I’ll need a knee replacement when I can’t walk. I can’t really run or do much with it.’’
So while Montana had one of the best NFL careers a player could have, he is certainly paying for it now. The pile up of injuries has clearly taken its toll later in his life and it's a cautionary tale to players in today's game to take care of themselves.
Joe Montana: One of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game
When the conversation comes up regarding some of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, Joe Montana's name simply has to come up. The likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, John Elway and Roger Staubach are all mentioned along with Montana.
Looking back at his career, it was superb to say the least.
Joe Montana is a 4x Super Bowl champ, an 8x Pro Bowler, 3x All-Pro, 2x NFL MVP, 1986 Comback Player of the Year, and a member of the NFL's Hall of Fame.
In total, Montana played 192 games and had a record of 117-47. He threw for 40,551 passing yards, 273 touchdowns and 139 interceptions.
He is one of the best to ever play as he did everything in the game throughout his 15-year career, but one thing is for certain; he's paying for it now.
