USFL Offered Commissioner’s Job to Rozelle

NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle disclosed today that he had been offered the United States Football League commissioner’s job before the new league began operations in 1982.

The disclosure came on Rozelle’s fourth day of testimony in the USFL’s $1.32-billion antitrust suit against the National Football League. NFL lawyer Frank Rothman asked Rozelle:

“Were you ever offered a job as commissioner of the USFL?”

“Yes,” Rozelle replied. “I told them I was already the NFL commissioner and I didn’t accept it.

“And how much money did they offer you?” Rothman asked. Before Rozelle could answer, a USFL lawyer objected and U.S. District Judge Peter K. Leisure sustained it.