Just about the time the San Francisco 49ers decided to give Joe Montana his job back, he decided he no longer wanted it.
Montana made clear Monday that the quarterbacking job he wants is in Kansas City. He rejected an offer by the 49ers to reinstate him as the starter over Steve Young, last season's passing leader and league MVP.Carmen Policy, the 49ers' president, said he hoped to resolve Montana's status within the next 48 hours despite a breakdown Monday in trade negotiations with the Chiefs.
The problem is over the compensation the Chiefs would pay the 49ers for Montana, a four-time Su
per Bowl winner in 10 years as San Francisco's starter. He has a year left on his 49ers contract.
Policy indicated the Chiefs hadn't changed their earlier offer, but Kansas City president and general manager Carl Peterson disagreed, although he didn't specify the change.
"I know what we gave, and we gave an awful lot," Peterson said. "We did have a lot of conversation (Monday) and, frankly, I thought that what I put on the table was more than fair. I improved the offer of what I had before. I can say without equivocation that it's a very handsome offer."
Montana, who lost his job to Young during a two-year recovery from an elbow injury, turned down the 49ers' offer earlier Monday during a meeting with Policy and coach George Seifert at the quarterback's home.
Still, the coach said Montana technically was the team's No. 1 quarterback, with Young getting the job if he left.
Just a few days ago, it was the other way around, and after the April 7 re-signing of Steve Bono as Young's nominal backup, the 49ers deemed Montana expendable and gave him permission to shop around for another team.
Montana ended his two-week search by embracing Kansas City, but the 49ers blocked the move, complaining the Chiefs hadn't bid enough. Then the Niners clouded the picture further by offering Montana his old starting job.
That tactic was seen by some as a calculated effort to drive up Kansas City's bid to bring it into line with one from the Phoenix Cardinals, who proposed giving San Francisco a first-round draft pick in return for Montana.
But Montana preferred to play for the Chiefs, who reportedly offered their first-round pick, but sought the 49ers' second-round pick and another player in addition to Montana.
"In an effort to accommodate Joe, we had conversations with the Chiefs today . . . but to no avail," Policy said. "Those negotiations have broken off again."We are now in a very delicate situation in that we are exploring all, and I underline all, of our alternatives. Because of the very special relationship with Joe, we will continue to attempt to take his wishes into consideration. But from this point in time, the underlying purpose of whatever we do will be in the best interest of the 49ers."
In recent weeks, Seifert had publicly backed Young as the starter before team officials suddenly reversed field this weekend following Montana's meeting with club owner Edward DeBartolo Jr.
Seifert and Policy denied the 49ers' hastily arranged proposal was manufactured to deflect public criticism. Backers of Montana have deluged the club's offices with faxes and phone calls in an attempt to derail any trade.
"The offer that was made to Joe Montana to be the starting quarterback was a sincere, open, honest offer," Seifert said.
"When I said Steve Young was the starting quarterback, obviously I didn't expect Joe Montana to then want to go on to another club," Seifert added. "As this situation played out, I sensed there was polarization with regard to players, with regard to our organization, coaching staff, secretaries. There were a lot of factors entering into this."
Nevertheless, the team's turnabout seemed to undermine Seifert's credibility, and left the 49ers in an awkward position with Young and Bono no matter how the affair played out.
"It's just like opening a can of worms," 49ers receiver Jerry Rice told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
Though a supporter of Montana, Rice said he also felt for Young.
"He has to be wondering. He has to be thinking something right now: `I carried this team for two years and just look what they're doing to me,' " Rice said. "There has to be something in the back of his mind."
Young, in the midst of law school finals at Brigham Young University, was unavailable for comment Monday.
In a statement released through agent Peter Johnson, Montana said he had no intention of forsaking the commitment he made to the Chiefs for a return to the 49ers.
The 49ers re-entered the picture when DeBartolo, during a meeting Saturday with Montana, offered him his old job.
"I think it's important to note that I never asked Mr. DeBartolo or anyone else from the 49ers organization to be named the starting quarterback," Montana said in the statement.
"Earlier this year, I had hoped that I would have the opportunity to compete for the job this season. However, I was told in January that Steve Young would be the starter, and I accepted the 49ers' position.
"Due to this decision, the 49ers authorized me to work out an arrangement with another NFL team. Three days prior to my decision to go with the Kansas City Chiefs, once again the 49ers stated publicly there would be no open competition for the starting job. Although Mr. DeBartolo and I spoke on Saturday about finishing my career with the 49ers, it is not going to be possible, based on the commitment I made to the Chiefs."