Montana, Elway Quit Pro Bowl; Rypien to Start

HONOLULU — Four Super Bowl players, including quarterbacks Joe Montana and John Elway, have withdrawn from Sunday’s Pro Bowl game, NFL officials said Monday.

San Francisco’s Montana, who has a sore elbow, will be replaced by Mark Rypien of the Washington Redskins on the NFC team.

A source close to the Rams said Jim Everett was asked to replace Montana, but declined because team physicians told him to rest his back for a couple of months.

Also withdrawing were wide receiver John Taylor of the 49ers and inside linebacker Karl Mecklenburg of the Broncos, who injured his left knee in the Super Bowl and was scheduled for arthroscopic surgery today. Mecklenburg will be replaced by Johnny Rembert of the New England Patriots, and Taylor will be replaced by Mark Carrier of Tampa Bay.