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Joe Montana is universally considered one of the greatest football players in the history of the sport. Yet, what many people don’t realize, is that the legendary quarterback is also a prolific venture capitalist. After retiring from the NFL in 1994, the former football player entered the world of venture capitalism. By 1998, Montana had co-founded the venture capital firm, HRJ Capital. In the subsequent eight years, its assets under management (AUM) amounted to over $900 million.
In 2005, Montana co-founded the New York-based Modern Bank, which operated as a commercial bank for affluent clients. He served as vice president and sat on the board until his departure in 2010. In the following years, Montana invested in numerous companies that would go on to become successful including Pinterest, DropBox, OpenListings (which was acquired by Opendoor in 2018), and Caliva which is the largest cannabis producer in California.
Given the incredible early successes in angel investing, Montana co-founded the venture capital firm, Liquid 2 Ventures in 2015. That same year, Liquid 2 Ventures provided seed investment to the open-source software start-up, GitLab, which had a valuation of $12 million. Among the other angel investors in the start-up included Ashton Kutcher. Fast-forward six years later to October 2021, and GitLab had its IPO with a valuation of an astounding $10 billion.
Yet, the question still remains “What is Joe Montana’s net worth?”. For ages, people have wondered just how much the sports legend has to his name. We here at Sophisticated Investor decided to take a deep dive into the answer to the question. Below, we’ve compiled all the publicly available data providing the best approximation of Montana’s net worth.
However, it’s important to take note that the figures are estimates, and may not necessarily reflect Joe Montana’s precise net worth. Although, we did source all of the publicly available assessments so this likely represents a probable scope of his fortune.
 | Joe Montana |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | June 11, 1956 |
| Nationality | American |
| Title | Venture capitalist, businessman |
| Companies Founded | HRJ Capital, Modern Bank, Liquid 2 Ventures |
| Best Known For | Considered one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL |
| Net Worth (USD) | $100 million to $150 million |
Joe Montana: the short answers
What is Joe Montana’s net worth?
We estimate Joe Montana’s net worth at $100 million to $150 million in 2026. His NFL salaries were modest by today’s standards; the fortune comes from decades of endorsements, real estate and, increasingly, early-stage venture investing through Liquid 2 Ventures, the firm he co-founded in 2015.
How did Joe Montana make his money?
Four Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers built the name, but the bigger financial story is investing. Liquid 2 Ventures’ first fund, about $25 million, has produced 21 unicorns, and its 2015 seed check into GitLab returned roughly 420 times at the 2021 IPO.
What is Liquid 2 Ventures?
Liquid 2 Ventures is a seed and Series A venture firm co-founded by Joe Montana, Michael Ma and Mike Miller in 2015. It typically invests around $2.5 million per company, and its early bets include GitLab, Anduril, Applied Intuition and Rappi. Montana’s son Nate is also a partner.
Does Joe Montana invest in gold?
Yes. Montana has said he became a customer of Augusta Precious Metals after his advisors researched the company, and he is a paid ambassador for the firm. If you are weighing a gold IRA yourself, compare several dealers first; our best gold IRA companies rankings break down fees, minimums and buyback terms.
What Is Joe Montana’s Net Worth?
According to research, Joe Montana has a net worth of roughly $100 million to $150 million. A recent Fortune article cited this figure, so in all likelihood, it represents a probable range. In 2021 alone, one of the companies Montana invested in, GitLab had its IPO with a valuation of $10 billion.
Joe Montana Biography
Joe Montana was born June 11, 1956, in New Eagle, Pennsylvania. Montana started playing football at the tender age of 8 years old. He received a football scholarship from the University of Notre Dame, playing for the legendary Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In 1978, he led the team to the national championship. Montana graduated with a bachelor’s in business administration and marketing.
After graduation in 1979, Montana was drafted into the NFL, playing 16 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. He won four Super Bowls with the 49ers and retired from the NFL in 1994. In 2000, Montana was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In the subsequent years, Montana became involved in venture capital. In 1998, Montana co-founded the venture capital firm, HRJ Capital. By 2004, when Montana departed the firm its assets under management (AUM) amounted to over $900 million. Between 2005 and 2010, the former quarterback co-founded Modern Bank, which operated as a commercial bank for affluent clients.
In 2015, Montana founded his own venture capital firm, Liquid 2 Ventures, where he functions as Managing Partner. Some of the companies Montana has invested in include Pinterest, DropBox, OpenListings (acquired by Opendoor in 2018), and Caliva which is the largest cannabis producer in California. Furthermore, the open-source software start-up, GitLab (which Liquid 2 Ventures had provided early investment for at a valuation of $12 million) had its IPO with a valuation of $10 billion in 2021.
How Did Joe Montana Build His Wealth?
Joe Montana accumulated his wealth primarily via his 16 seasons playing in the NFL with lucrative contracts and endorsement deals. Subsequently, he displayed incredible business acumen with early investments in numerous start-ups that would become successful including Pinterest, DropBox, OpenListings, and Gitlab.
Moreover, Joe Montana has invested in precious metals through Augusta Precious Metals.
How Is Joe Montana’s Net-Worth Calculated?
Basically, Joe Montana’s net worth is calculated by his assets subtracted from his liabilities. Montana played 16 seasons as a quarterback in the NFL with lucrative contracts and endorsement deals.
In addition, through his involvement in venture capital Montana has accumulated an astounding fortune.
Joe Montana: frequently asked questions
How many Super Bowls did Joe Montana win?
Four, all with the San Francisco 49ers, in the 1981, 1984, 1988 and 1989 seasons. He was named Super Bowl MVP three times and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.
Is Joe Montana a billionaire?
No. Even with his venture successes, credible estimates put Montana’s net worth in the $100 million to $150 million range. Much of his investment upside is tied up in private startups and fund stakes, so the figure can move as portfolio companies raise money, go public or get acquired.
How much did Joe Montana make on GitLab?
Liquid 2 Ventures invested an initial $100,000 in GitLab’s 2015 seed round at a valuation of about $12 million. At the 2021 IPO price, that stake was estimated at roughly $42 million, about a 420-fold return, according to CNBC.
What companies has Joe Montana invested in?
Through Liquid 2 Ventures and personal angel deals, Montana has backed companies including GitLab, Anduril, Applied Intuition, Rappi, Pinterest and Dropbox. Earlier, he co-founded HRJ Capital, a fund-of-funds firm, and helped start Modern Bank in New York.
Who Else Invests Like Joe Montana?
Not all investors have the same style. To compare investors like Joe Montana check out these investor profiles:
Want to Invest Like Joe Montana?
Truthfully, the average investor will not likely accumulate a fortune to that of Joe Montana. Yet, you can still adopt an aggressive investing strategy involving alternative assets like precious metals, just like Montana.
By diversifying your portfolio with alternative assets such as precious metals, you benefit from investments not correlated to the stock market and its volatility. The simplest way to gain exposure to precious metals is via a self-directed IRA that appreciates in value on a tax-free or tax-deferred basis. To learn more about these types of investment vehicles, have a look at our reviews for Precious Metals IRAs to gain more of an understanding of your options.
Joe Montana in 2025 and 2026
Montana’s net worth is estimated at $100 to $150 million, and increasingly the story is the second career: his firm Liquid 2 Ventures counts 21 unicorns from its first fund alone, including early stakes in GitLab and Anduril. His $100,000 seed check into GitLab in 2015, made at a roughly $12 million valuation, was worth an estimated $42 million at the 2021 IPO price, about 420 times the original investment, a return that would make any quarterback of any era jealous, and his son Nathaniel is now a partner at the firm.
