Top 30 NFL players of the 1980s

Top 30 NFL Players of the 1980s

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 30: Lawrence Taylor #56 of the New York Giants in action against the Dallas Cowboys during an NFL football game September 30, 1990 at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Taylor played for the Giants from 1981-93. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

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MIAMI, FL – JANUARY 22: Quarterback Joe Montana #16 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII at Joe Robbie Stadium on January 22, 1989 in Miami, Florida. The 49ers defeated the Bengals 20-16. (Photo by Rob Brown/Getty Images) /

2. Joe Montana

If God played quarterback, he would wear a cherry-red No. 16 jersey with a gold top. Montana was the quarterback of the decade for the team of the decade. Drafted in 1979 in the third round out of Notre Dame, Montana and head coach Bill Walsh created a dynasty in San Francisco.

Montana didn’t start all 16 games until 1981, but what a year it was. He led the 49ers to their first Super Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. San Francisco went 13-3 that season, and Montana was selected to his first Pro Bowl.

Montana would go on to be a six-time Pro Bowl selection through the decade, along with a First-Team All-Pro selection in 1987. He led the 49ers to four Super Bowls in the 1980s, being named MVP of three of them. Before a certain No. 12 came around, Montana was the unquestioned greatest quarterback of all time.

When the pressure was at its highest, Montana played his best. The 1980s 49ers were stacked with a lot of great players, but they wouldn’t have won four Super Bowls without Joe Cool. He is a member of the 1980s All-Decade team and was enshrined in Canton in 2000.

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