Reports: Money differences leave QBs out [Forum Archive]

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When the NFL unveiled its MVPs from the previous 39 Super Bowls, only three living members skipped the ceremony.
Former 49ers quarterback Joe Montana and former Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw decided to stay home, while former Dolphins MVP Jake Scott was traveling in Australia.
Montana, the league's only three-time Super Bowl MVP, turned down the invitation over money, Newsday and the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Montana, however, told ESPN2's Cold Pizza last week that he wasn't going to be at the game because his son had an important basketball game he wanted to attend.
Bradshaw, who told league officials that he wanted to be with his family, also took issue with the fees, the Chronicle reported. Bradshaw, through a representative, denied the Chronicle's report that there was a dispute over money.
Former MVPs were given $1,000 for incidental expenses while in Detroit, along with other amenities such as plane tickets, car rental and game tickets.
Sources told each paper that Montana asked for a guarantee of at least $100,000 in appearance money.
When the league balked at Montana's demands, the quarterback declined to be in attendance.

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Montana, Bradshaw deny reports

One day after published reports suggested Hall-of-Famers Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw declined to participate in a Super Bowl pregame ceremony for financial reasons, both players refuted the charge.

[i]According to a report in Monday's San Francisco Chronicle, Montana wanted at least $100,000 in order to appear during the ceremony, which featured all but three of the living Super Bowl MVPs. The NFL had offered two tickets to the game, hotel accommodations, the use of a car, tickets to three Super Bowl parties, $1,000 in spending money and first-class airfare to Detroit.
The office of Peter Johnson, Montana's agent at IMG, released a statement in response to the report.
"Joe Montana was in Detroit for Super Bowl activities on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday prior to the game, but always had planned to return home before the weekend to be with his family," the statement read. "He fulfilled his promise to attend son Nathaniel's basketball game on Friday night and son Nicholas' game on Sunday, and then be home with his family to watch the Super Bowl."
The same Chronicle report also said money was an issue with Bradshaw. The FOX analyst released a statement in which he said family obligations were behind his decision not to participate in the ceremony.
"I've heard press reports that say my decision to stay home and not take part in the Super Bowl XL MVP pregame ceremony had something to do with money," the statement read. "I don't know how that rumor got started, but it's just not true. The only reason I wasn't there was so that I could stay at home and watch the game with my family, especially my two daughters, which is what I do every year except when I have to work it. I informed my bosses at FOX, the NFL, as well as Mr. Rooney of my intentions beforehand, and everyone was very supportive. I would never, ever ask the NFL for a penny for something like this, and for anyone to say or write that I would is just flat out wrong." Montana, Bradshaw and former Dolphins defensive back Jake Scott, who was vacationing in Australia, were the only living Super Bowl MVPs who did not attend.