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, and Bradshaw reportedly turned down the invitation over money.
Both denied the reports.
In a phone interview with "Quite Frankly" host Stephen A. Smith on Monday night, Montana vehemently denied forgoing the ceremony over money and reiterated that his absence was due to his preference to see his son's basketball game.
Montana told ESPN last week that he wasn't going to attend the Super Bowl because his son had an important basketball game he wanted to attend. Bradshaw, according to the Chronicle, told league officials he wanted to be with his family.
Montana said money was never an issue and that he would not have attended the Super Bowl ceremony even if the appearance fee had been greater than the $100,000 he was reported to have requested.
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.
Bradshaw, through a representative, denied the Chronicle's report that there was a dispute over money.