Montana Ends His 49er Career and Says Thanks for the Memories

In his farewell to the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday, Joe Montana refused to act like anyone’s castoff.

He thanked the team, its owner and fans and refused to criticize the machinations that ended with his being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs after 14 years with the 49ers. If he was bitter about not finishing his career with the franchise he led to four Super Bowl titles, he didn’t show it.

“I’ll miss the fans, I’ll miss going into Candlestick and playing before the 49er faithful, going into the locker room, the camaraderie, the friendships I’ve made over the years,” Montana said at a news conference. “I’ve had some great memories that will be impossible to replace.”

It was the prospect of a quarterback controversy that Montana said drove him to seek a trade. He was too competitive to be a backup but cared too much about the team to force a divisive battle with Steve Young.

“I tried to remove myself from the position I was in and take it more as an outsider and look at what was best for the organization and what was best for me,” Montana said. “No matter what would have happened going into training camp and who was No. 1, that would have been a chaotic camp.”

Outside the 49ers’ headquarters, more than 100 fans, many sporting red-and-gold jackets and team insignia, hoped to catch a glimpse of Montana. When live radio broadcasts began, they shouted, “We want Joe! We want Joe!” They stayed for hours, waiting until Montana left the complex under police escort. Some even ran after the vehicles.