PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : Montana to Rest Elbow 2 Weeks

Quarterback Joe Montana of the San Francisco 49ers quarterback has been told to rest his ailing right elbow for two weeks.

If rest fails to heal the problem, Montana might have to undergo a third operation on the elbow to keep his comeback hopes alive.

Montana, who missed all of last season because of a torn elbow tendon, had major surgery in October to reattach the tendon and a second procedure in May to loosen scar tissue.

Montana was on course for a return to the 49ers this season. But he was struck by arm fatigue and elbow soreness and left the club’s training camp on Sunday for consultations with team physician Michael Dillingham.

In an exhibition Monday, Steve Bono, third-string quarterback when Montana was healthy, passed seven yards to Ron Lewis for a fourth-quarter touchdown and a 13-7 victory over the Denver Broncos at San Francisco.

After replacing Steve Young in the second quarter, Bono completed 12 of 22 passes for 131 yards and one touchdown.

Steve Pelluer started at quarterback for Denver, completing eight of 16 passes for 49 yards. Shawn Moore played the second and third quarters, completing nine of 13 passes for 86 yards and one touchdown.

The Bronco’s No. 1 quarterback, John Elway, also is recovering from surgery and did not play.

No. 1 draft choice Leon Searcy, a 6-foot-3, 295-pound lineman from Miami chosen 11th overall, agreed to terms with the Pittsburgh Steelers and reported to camp.

Searcy will receive $4 million over four years, including a signing bonus of $1.5 million, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette New Fax. His annual salary will be $500,000 this season, increasing to $750,000 in 1995.

Guard William Roberts of the New York Giants underwent a stress test and further evaluation of the high blood pressure and rapid heartbeat that caused him to be hospitalized over the weekend. He will continue to miss practice until doctors can ascertain the cause of the problem.