One of most memorable concepts in the film "Back to the Future Part II" is the alternate timeline. The distorted version of 1985 -- complete with biker gangs, crime-ridden neighborhoods, and Biff Tannen as the emperor -- is certainly a jarring dystopia. It's a reality completely different from the one Marty McFly expects and knows. But it's a version of reality, nonetheless. The butterfly effect had taken flight.
In the six-part docuseries, "Cool Under Pressure," which covers the career of Joe Montana, the filmmakers lightly toy with this concept as well. Here's what we know: the 49ers' legend is still angry today about being replaced by Steve Young. Here's what we don't know: how the history looks if it never happens. That alternate 1985 -- in this case, 1987-1994 -- is what proves to be the most fascinating theme in play.
Montana was pushed by a father who sensed his greatness, dismissed by a college coach who didn't value his innate drive, challenged by an NFL coach who knew there was another level to unlock. NFL Films does beautiful work to retell this, but we know these tales already. We watched his eminence on the field, and we saw his place in history.
The most tantalizing part of Montana's story is that the Niners were blessed with one of the greatest quarterbacks ever and needlessly created their own drama. They eventually pushed Montana out the door after a protracted battle with Young. This feud was birthed and exacerbated multiple times, ultimately leading to a divorce that left everyone scarred. Back in 1987, when Bill Walsh acquired Young, the coach believed his dynamic offense could operate at an even higher level.
Montana had won two Super Bowls directing the West Coast offense, but Walsh felt a more mobile (and younger) quarterback could push it closer to perfection. Montana was only 31 years old, and the competition with Young distracted Montana and divided the locker room. It certainly wasn't necessary to push a civic icon into a QB battle, particularly because Montana would play high-level football for another seven years. Walsh had invited the soap opera.
With Young pushing to get playing time but ultimately watching from the sideline, Montana put together the greatest three-year stretch of his career. Between 1988-1990, he went to three straight NFC title games, won back-to-back Super Bowls, and took home consecutive MVP honors (at age 33 and 34). In this stretch, he was 40-9 as a starter, including 7-1 in the playoffs. His only loss came after leaving the fourth quarter of the 1990 title game, after a violent hit by Leonard Marshall. San Francisco led the game at the time, and if Marshall didn't crush him, maybe Montana would've won his unmatched third Super Bowl in a row (and fifth overall).
The following offseason, Montana had fully healed from the brutal hit, but he suffered a nerve injury in his throwing elbow. The prolonged rehab took him out of two full seasons of football, which at age 35 and 36, would've ended most careers. The absence gave the Niners an easy platform to showcase Young, and he delivered (somewhat).
In 1991, Young was just 5-5, and missed six games with a knee injury. The Niners missed the playoffs. In 1992, Young came alive with his first Pro Bowl nod, 3,500 yards passing, an MVP, and a 14-2 record. But ultimately, San Francisco lost to Dallas in the NFC title game. It's hard to imagine a healthy Montana -- coming off his 1988-1990 excellence -- would've missed the Super Bowl twice.
The Niners had made their decision by then. They were pushing forward with Young, who was five years younger than Montana. George Seifert asked Joe to stay away from team meetings. Carmen Policy tried to trade him to football Siberia in Phoenix. But after a deal with the Chiefs, Montana proved he still had good football left in 1993 and 1994. He led Kansas City to the playoffs both seasons, and reached a conference title game.
The Niners would go to the NFC championship both seasons, losing to the Cowboys again in 1993 and winning the Super Bowl in 1994. It was Young's only title. In the final episode of the documentary, Montana had his most cutthroat quote: "Winning a Super Bowl? Great for [Young]. I always told [team owner Eddie DeBartolo], if I'd had stuck around, we would've won more than one."
Montana himself leaves us with the most interesting question of the piece. He wouldn't have been able to play until 1999, when Young eventually retired. But the elbow injury in 1991, and the 49ers' insistence on moving on, leaves a burning hypothetical. What does the alternate reality look like? Between 1991-1994, the Niners had one of the best teams in football, yet went to only one Super Bowl with Young.
Montana would've been surrounded with incredible talent on offense. The GOAT of wideouts, Jerry Rice, was still in his prime, and went to the Pro Bowl all four years. Tight end Brent Jones also went to Hawaii from 1992-1994. In those four years, the Niners had an insane 25 Pro Bowlers, aside from Young. Steve Wallace, Harris Barton, Guy McIntyre, and Jesse Sapolu made up one of the best offensive lines in the NFL (all Pro Bowlers). One of the greatest defensive players ever, Deion Sanders, came in 1994. If Montana plays all four seasons, it's hard to imagine the Niners only winning one Lombardi Trophy.
It's unfair to state the Niners made a mistake. It wasn't their fault Montana's elbow disintegrated in 1991, and Young kept the Super Bowl door open four years longer than Montana would have. But the team did create a four-year problem where there wasn't one, when they traded for Young in 1987. And shoving an NFL legend out the door should've been handled with more tact. If Montana wins one or two more Super Bowls with San Francisco, do we still consider Tom Brady the GOAT? "Cool Under Pressure" was a fun deep-dive into an icon's career, yet the most intriguing part wasn't the real, but instead the imagined.