Hall of Famer Joe Montana Thinks Burrow, Bengals Beat Stafford, Rams in Super Bowl 56

Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana predicted the Cincinnati Bengals will edge the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday.

Montana, who forecasted a 26-24 Bengals triumph, told Andrew McCarty of The Spun in an interview released Friday he's picking Joe Burrow's squad despite his desire to see Matthew Stafford succeed after a 12-year tenure with the Detroit Lions that produced just three playoff appearances.

"I mean I'd love to see Stafford win, you know, just because he's been through so much," Montana said. "To be able to come down here in his first year and get the Rams to the Super Bowl would be cool. You pull for the older guys this time of year. The younger guys have a lot more time to win one."

Few players in NFL history know better than the San Francisco 49ers legend when it comes to winning on the league's biggest stage. Montana led the Niners to four Super Bowl titles and was named MVP of the championship game on three occasions.

His comment about Stafford is one that probably rings true for a lot of players, both from the past and present.

The Rams quarterback is 34 and a long way removed from being the first overall pick in the 2009 draft. He was rarely, if ever, the main contributing factor to the Lions' lack of team success in his dozen years with the franchise, but the front office could never put enough talent around him.

Now surrounded by one of the NFL's most complete rosters in L.A., he produced one of his best statistical seasons with 41 touchdown passes during the regular season and has the franchise one win away from its second Super Bowl title.

The championship pursuit appears more pressing given his age and the Rams' high number of veteran players, including safety Eric Weddle, who came out of retirement to provide an assist for the playoff run.

Yet it's felt like something special has been brewing for Burrow, 25, and the upstart Bengals throughout a postseason journey that's featured three wins by a single score.

Sure, the Bengals' championship window should be open for the long haul with a core led by Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase (21), Joe Mixon (25) and Trey Hendrickson (27), but there are no guarantees, especially in an AFC loaded with high-end quarterback talent.

So the game carries plenty of weight for an organization still seeking its first title, too.

The various storylines set the stage for what should be a highly entertaining, competitive matchup Sunday in L.A.