30 greatest NFL rivalries of all-time

23. Joe Montana vs. Steve Young

The rivalry between former teammates Joe Montana and Steve Young developed rather simply. It was one of the greatest quarterback controversies that the NFL has ever seen.

One player, Young, was a rising star who the San Fransisco 49ers traded for in 1987, despite the fact that Montana had several years of high-level production left in him.

Montana was already a legend at the time, and would win four Super Bowls during his tenure as the 49ers starting quarterback. To add fuel to the controversy, he won back-to-back NFL MVP honors in 1989 and 1990 after the team had acquired Young.

But after Montana went down with elbow injury in the 1990 NFC Championship Game, Young took over the starting quarterback job and never relinquished his role, leading to a quarterback controversy for the ages. Montana was eventually traded to the Kansas City Chiefs, were he would experience tremendous success before retiring.

The book Best of Rivals by Adam Lazarus takes an in-depth look at the controversy, providing insight on what many perceived to be a rift between the players throughout their careers.

"“It’s not that there was bad blood,” Montana said in 2011. “I guess the only way you can explain it is if you go to work every day in an office … you’re not always best friends with the guy sitting next to you. You’re friends, but you’re not best friends. And while we were friends, we wouldn’t hang out together. … It had nothing to do with the game or the competition; it’s just our personalities are different.”"

While there may not have been significant animosity between the two teammates, the circumstances alone were enough to generate a legendary rivalry. And one that is extremely difficult to analyze.

Young was the dual-threat. Montana was the elite pocket passer with respectable speed to compliment his top-tier throwing ability. Montana was the more established winner by the time both quarterbacks had hung up their cleats, winning four Super Bowls as the team’s starting quarterback to Young’s one.

Regardless, the duo combined to give San Fransisco a rare dynasty that featured one Hall of Fame quarterback passing the torch to another, even if such did not occur by choice.

Next: 22. Green Bay Packers - Dallas Cowboys