Mike Keller
Encyclopedia
Michael F. Keller is a former American football
player and executive. 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.
.
as a defensive end
for the University of Michigan
from 1969 to 1971. As a senior, he started all 11 games (3 at defensive end and 6 at outside linebacker) for the 1971 Michigan Wolverines football team
that finished the season with an 11-1 record and ranked No. 6 in the final AP Poll
. Keller was selected as an All-Big Ten Conference player in 1971. In July 1972, Keller was selected to play in the annual Chicago College All-Star Game along with Michigan teammate Thom Darden
.
in the third round (64th overall pick) of the 1972 NFL Draft
. He played at the linebacker
position for the 1972 Dallas Cowboys
. He underwent shoulder surgery in 1973 and was sidelined again in 1974 after suffering a pulled stomach muscle. 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."
' personnel department. From 1983 to 1985, Keller worked in the front office of the Michigan Panthers
of the newly formed USFL
as the team's director of marketing, director of football operations, and assistant general manager. He was the personnel director for the Oakland Invaders
of the USFL in 1985. After the USFL dismantled, Keller worked for a time has a scout for the Dallas Cowboys.
Since 1988, Keller and his company, Keller Enterprises/RFL Llc, have been engaged in sports management and consulting. His clients have included rodeo and rugby leagues, as well as a professional football league planning to play its games in the spring. From 1990 to 1992, he was the general manager of the Sacramento Surge
in the fledgling World League of American Football
. From 1995 to 1996, he was the general manager of the Scottish Claymores
in the NFL Europe
.
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. In May 2000, Keller told reporters, "All the best players in the world not playing in the NFL will be playing in the XFL." The XFL began its inaugural season in February 2001 and folded in May 2001.
Beginning in March 2003, he was the chief operating officer of the American Rugby Football League LLC. Keller noted, "I consult on start-ups. I've become sort of a start-up guru."
played college football as a quarterback for Arizona State University
from 2003 to 2005 and for the University of Nebraska in 2007.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and executive. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as a defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1969 to 1971 and professional football as a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
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
Michigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....
of the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
, vice president of football operations for the XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
, general manager of the Sacramento Surge
Sacramento Surge
The Sacramento Surge was a professional American football team that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played its first season at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, and the second season in Hornet Stadium on the Sacramento State University campus. It was owned...
and Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
, and chief operating officer of the American Rugby Football League LLC.
Early years
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Keller attended Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
.
University of Michigan
Keller played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as a defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1969 to 1971. As a senior, he started all 11 games (3 at defensive end and 6 at outside linebacker) for the 1971 Michigan Wolverines football team
1971 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1971 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1971 college football season. The team's head coach was Bo Schembechler...
that finished the season with an 11-1 record and ranked No. 6 in the final AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
. Keller was selected as an All-Big Ten Conference player in 1971. In July 1972, Keller was selected to play in the annual Chicago College All-Star Game along with Michigan teammate Thom Darden
Thom Darden
Thomas Vincent Darden is a former American football cornerback, safety, and punt returner who played for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League . In the NFL, he was a three-time All-Pro free safety. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 1978. He holds most Cleveland Browns franchise...
.
Dallas Cowboys
Keller was drafted by the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in the third round (64th overall pick) of the 1972 NFL Draft
1972 NFL Draft
The 1972 National Football League Draft was held on February 1–2, 1972.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
. He played at the linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
position for the 1972 Dallas Cowboys
1972 Dallas Cowboys season
The 1972 Dallas Cowboys season was their 13th in the league. The team failed to improve their previous output of 11–3, winning only ten games. They qualified for the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season but settled for the wildcard spot...
. He underwent shoulder surgery in 1973 and was sidelined again in 1974 after suffering a pulled stomach muscle. 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."
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 CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
' personnel department. From 1983 to 1985, Keller worked in the front office of the Michigan Panthers
Michigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....
of the newly formed USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
as the team's director of marketing, director of football operations, and assistant general manager. He was the personnel director for the Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders
Oakland Invaders was a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League from 1983 through 1985.-In reaction to the Raiders relocating to Los Angeles:...
of the USFL in 1985. After the USFL dismantled, Keller worked for a time has a scout for the Dallas Cowboys.
Since 1988, Keller and his company, Keller Enterprises/RFL Llc, have been engaged in sports management and consulting. His clients have included rodeo and rugby leagues, as well as a professional football league planning to play its games in the spring. From 1990 to 1992, he was the general manager of the Sacramento Surge
Sacramento Surge
The Sacramento Surge was a professional American football team that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played its first season at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, and the second season in Hornet Stadium on the Sacramento State University campus. It was owned...
in the fledgling World League of American Football
World League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
. From 1995 to 1996, he was the general manager of the Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
in the NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
.
In January 2000, when WWF owner Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
ventured into the professional football business to form the XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
, he hired Keller as the league's vice president of football operations. In May 2000, Keller told reporters, "All the best players in the world not playing in the NFL will be playing in the XFL." The XFL began its inaugural season in February 2001 and folded in May 2001.
Beginning in March 2003, he was the chief operating officer of the American Rugby Football League LLC. Keller noted, "I consult on start-ups. I've become sort of a start-up guru."
Family
Keller and his wife, Kimberly, have two grown children, Jessica and Sam. His son Sam KellerSam Keller
Samuel Michael Keller is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was signed by the Los Angeles Avengers as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
played college football as a quarterback for Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
from 2003 to 2005 and for the University of Nebraska in 2007.