Mike Keller

For other people named Michael Keller, see Michael Keller (disambiguation).
Mike Keller

refer to caption

Keller from 1972 Michiganensian
No. 57
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Date of birth: (1949-12-13)December 13, 1949
Place of birth: Chicago, Illinois
Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight: 221 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school: Catholic Central (MI)
College: Michigan
NFL draft: 1972 / Round: 3 / Pick: 64
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Michael F. Keller (born December 13, 1949) is a former American football player and executive and current Chief Operating Officer of the A11FL. He played college football as a defensive end and linebacker for the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1971 and professional football as a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys in 1972. He subsequently had a career in sports management and consulting, including stints as the director of operations and assistant general manager for the Michigan Panthers of the USFL, vice president of football operations for the XFL, general manager of the Sacramento Surge and Scottish Claymores, and chief operating officer of the American Rugby Football League LLC.

Early years

A native of Chicago, Illinois, he attended Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

College career

Keller played college football as a defensive end for the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1971.[1] As a senior, he started all 11 games and the 1972 Rose Bowl for a team that finished the season with an 11-1 record and ranked No. 6 in the final AP Poll.[2]

He was selected as an All-Big Ten player in 1971 as well as Associated Press third-team All-American.[2] In July 1972, Keller was selected to play against the Dallas Cowboys in the annual Chicago College All-Star Game, along with Michigan teammates Thom Darden, Reggie McKenzie and Mike Taylor.[3]

Professional career

Keller was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round (64th overall pick) of the 1972 NFL Draft, with the intention of converting him into a linebacker.[4] As a rookie he played in five games, before being sent to the taxi squad to make room to activate Roger Staubach.[5]

He underwent shoulder surgery in 1973 and was placed on the injured reserve list on September 10. [6] He was sidelined again the next year after suffering a pulled stomach muscle.[7] Keller later recalled: "I got hurt in training camp in my second year. I had beaten out another player for the strong-side linebacker position, but I had to have shoulder surgery. That put me out for the season. It also led to a different career".[7] He was waived on September 10, 1974.[8]

Business career

After retiring as a football player in 1974, Keller had a career in sports management and consulting. He began his management work as an employee of the Dallas Cowboys' personnel department.[7] In 1975 Keller left the Cowboys to join the newly formed Seattle Seahawks as a scout and Assistant Personnel Director. He was promoted in 1978 to Assistant General Manager for the Seahawks. From 1983 to 1985, Keller worked in the front office of the Michigan Panthers of the newly formed USFL as the team's Assistant General Manager and Director of Football Operations,[9][10] He was the personnel director for the Oakland Invaders of the USFL in 1985.[11] After the USFL dismantled, Keller worked for a time has a scout for the Dallas Cowboys.[12]

Since 1988, Keller and his company, Keller Enterprises/RFL Llc, have been engaged in sports management and consulting.[13] His clients have included rodeo and rugby leagues, as well as a professional football league planning to play its games in the spring.[7] From 1990 to 1992, he was the general manager of the Sacramento Surge in the fledgling World League of American Football.[14][15] From 1995 to 1996, he was the general manager of the Scottish Claymores in the NFL Europe.[16][17]

In January 2000, when WWF owner Vince McMahon ventured into the professional football business to form the XFL, he hired Keller as the league's vice president of football operations.[18][19] In May 2000, Keller told reporters, "All the best players in the world not playing in the NFL will be playing in the XFL."[20] The XFL began its inaugural season in February 2001 and folded in May 2001.[21][22]

Beginning in March 2003, he was the chief operating officer of the American Rugby Football League LLC.[13] Keller noted, "I consult on start-ups. I've become sort of a start-up guru."[7]

Keller is the Chief Operating Officer of the A11FL.[23]

Personal life

Keller and his wife, Kimberly, have two grown children, Jessica and Sam.[7] His son Sam Keller played college football as a quarterback for Arizona State University from 2003 to 2005 and for the University of Nebraska in 2007.[7][24][25]

References

  1. ↑ "University of Michigan All-time Rosters Search Page". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library.(Enter Keller as the last name and Michael as the first name on the search page, and press enter)
  2. 1 2 "1971 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library.
  3. ↑ Dave Goldberg (July 29, 1972). "Dallas Beats All-Stars as Morton, Sullivan Shine". Waycross Journal-Herald (AP story).
  4. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19720725&id=sGg0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=xAkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=783,5832082
  5. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=19721022&id=kAUkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cgUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6646,4866279
  6. ↑ "Dallas Cuts Winfrey". Palm Beach Post. September 11, 1973.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Brian VanOchten (October 4, 2009). "Mike Keller's short stint with Cowboys on the field led to long career in sports marketing". The Grand Rapids Press.
  8. ↑ "NFL Transactions". The Miami News. September 11, 1974.
  9. ↑ "Michigan Panthers Front Office". USFL.info.
  10. ↑ "Hebert, Fusina Lead Their Teams Into Title Game". Daily News. July 14, 1983.
  11. ↑ Howard Balzer (September 9, 1985). "Pro Football Focus". The Sporting News.
  12. ↑ "Notebook". The Sporting News. April 14, 1986.
  13. 1 2 "Michael F. (Mike) Keller". Linked in.
  14. ↑ "Sacramento Surge Hopes To Electrify". Lodi News-Sentinel. December 5, 1990.
  15. ↑ "Surge Begins WLAF Action". Lodi News-Sentinel. March 14, 1992.
  16. ↑ "World League of American Football: WLAF History: 1995". World League of American Football.
  17. ↑ Allen F. Richardson (May 13, 1996). "Claymores looking forward to selling big game to fans". USA Today.
  18. ↑ George Sipple (February 5, 2000). "WWF STEPS FROM RING TO GRIDIRON DETROIT HAS A CHANCE FOR FRANCHISE IN XFL". Detroit Free Press.("Grand Rapids resident Michael F Keller hired as the XFL's vice president of football operations 11 days ago ...")
  19. ↑ Kenny Lucas (February 4, 2000). "WWF Enters New Arena with XFL, Hopes to Score a TD". Daily News.
  20. ↑ Leonard Shapiro (May 7, 2000). "Extreme football league is ready to rumble". Seattle Times.
  21. ↑ L.C. Johnson (May 11, 2001). "NEWS STUNS RAGE PLAYERS, COACHES THURSDAY'S DECISION TO FOLD THE XFL CAUGHT MANY WITH THE TEAM BY SURPRISE". Orlando Sentinel.
  22. ↑ Gordon Forbes (May 11, 2001). "XFL too much for NFL fans, not enough for wrestling fans". USA Today.
  23. ↑ http://spfl.com/management.php
  24. ↑ Dave Newhouse (October 31, 2003). "Football runs in blood of ASU freshman Keller". The Oakland Tribune.
  25. ↑ "Pheasant On Friday, Trojan on Saturday?". The New York Times. September 15, 2007.
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