Ranking NFL legend Joe Montana's Super Bowl wins

Joe Montana led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl victories. Nicknamed Joe Cool for his ability to make clutch plays, he inspired an entire generation of quarterbacks, including Tom Brady. In three of those four Super Bowl wins, he was named the Super Bowl MVP. We thought we'd rank his Super Bowl wins because he was the main architect of the 49ers' success in the 1980s.

How good was Joe Montana in each of his Super Bowl wins?

#4 - Super Bowl XXIII

The game took place at the end of the 1988 NFL season and pitted the San Francisco 49ers against the Cincinnati Bengals. The 49ers defeated the Bengals 20-16. Joe Montana certainly played his part in the win. Down 16-13 with just over 3 minutes remaining, he led a 92-yard drive, resulting in a touchdown pass to John Taylor.

However, the reason why this might not be his finest Super Bowl is because this was the only instance where he was not named Super Bowl MVP. That honor went to Jerry Rice. What also needs to be remembered is that there was a point when the Bengals were leading 13-6 and Joe Montana threw a pass to the endzone that got nearly intercepted by Bengals cornerback Lewis Billups but dropped the ball.

Hence, in many ways, Montana rode his luck and had help from the greatest wide receiver of all time to win the Lombardi Trophy. But even then, when he was required to come clutch, he did so.

#3 - Super Bowl XVI

Super Bowl XVI was the first time that the San Francisco 49ers won the Super Bowl and it established a dynasty that would dominate over the next decade. Joe Montana passed for 157 yards and one touchdown and was named the Super Bowl MVP. However, the Cincinnati Bengals largely imploded to hand the San Francisco 49ers the trophy.

The Bengals had 356 yards of offense to the 49ers' 275. Dan Ross set a Super Bowl record with 11 tight end receptions and two touchdowns. The Bengals were let down by turnovers, which allowed the San Francisco 49ers to take a 20-0 halftime lead. Even a robust comeback in the second half was not enough. The 49ers eventually prevailed 26-21.

Hence, while Montana gets tremendous credit for winning the Super Bowl, it was not his best performance in a Super Bowl.

#2 - Super Bowl XIX

This was Joe Montana's second Super Bowl victory, which took place at the end of the 1984 season. He went up against Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins but the end result was not close. The 49ers ended up winning 38-16. Joe Montana completed 24 of his 35 passes for a Super Bowl record of 331 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 59 yards and had one rushing touchdown.

This was one of those games where it was indisputable that Montana was the best player on the field. He set and broke numerous records and was the main person responsible for the Super Bowl victory. His Super Bowl MVP award was well deserved.

#1 - Super Bowl XXIV

Joe Montana's last Super Bowl win was his best. The 1989 season was historic for him as he won both the NFL MVP award and the Super Bowl MVP award. The 49ers faced the Denver Broncos in the championship game. In the end, it was not even close.

The 49ers defeated John Elway's Broncos 55-10 in the most lopsided Super Bowl in history, outscoring their opponents in every quarter. Joe Montana set a record by throwing for 297 yards and five touchdowns. In the process, he surpassed Terry Bradshaw's record for most touchdown passes in a Super Bowl and all Super Bowls combined. He also set a Super Bowl record with 13 consecutive passes.

This was the culmination of Joe Montana's best-ever season and his performance in the championship match ensured a blowout.