Rozelle Won’t Reinstate Schlichter for ’87

Former Colt quarterback Art Schlichter, suspended by the NFL for twice being involved with gambling, has been denied reinstatement this year by commissioner Pete Rozelle.

“I think Art has made very strong progress in resolving his problem,” Rozelle said, but added that “I feel that more time would probably be necessary in his recovery program. Therefore, I don’t think he should play this year but I think he should be reinstated for a subsequent year if his progress continues.”

Schlichter, 27, the first-round draft choice of the then-Baltimore Colts in 1982, was suspended by Rozelle in 1983 after admitting to running up thousands of dollars in gambling debts. He was reinstated in 1984, in time to join the Colts in Indianapolis.

After being released in 1985, Schlichter was arrested on a misdemeanor gambling charge last spring and subsequently re-entered a therapy program to overcome his gambling habit. After the Cincinnati Bengals expressed interest in him as a backup quarterback this summer, he applied to the league for permission to re-sign.