USFL '86: The Season That Never Was

Friday, January 4, 2019

'84 Chronology-Negotiating Rights

Event Date: May 29th, 1984

Event Description:  Rivera Rejects Offer

Source: United Press International

Ron Rivera, the University of California linebacker and second-round draft choice of the Chicago Bears, will not accept the latest offer from the NFL club and may negotiate with the U.S. Football League, his agent said.

David LeBoeuf, Rivera's Stockton, California, based agent, said Tuesday the Bears' offer was unacceptable and would be rejected.

LeBoeuf said he expected competitive offers from the USFL's Denver Gold and New Orleans Breakers. The Gold has already talked to Rivera because of a mixup in the Invaders management.

Fred Gehrke, Denver's executive director of football operations, called the Invaders last week and received permission from former coach John Ralston, now a team administrator, to talk with Rivera. LeBoeuf said the Gold made his client an offer.

Oakland owns Rivera's USFL rights after making him one of the club's top territorial picks. But when he failed to get the contract he wanted, Rivera waited for the NFL draft.

The week before the NFL draft he was said to be the San Francisco 49ers' top pick. But the 49ers took Brigham Young's Todd Shell, whose USFL rights are also owned by the Gold. Rivera was selected by the Bears, the 44th player in the draft.

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