The Colts were one of the lowest-paying franchises in the NFL, so I struggled to get a decent contract. During the height of my frustration, an emerging group, the United States Football League (USFL), came calling as they were mining NFL rosters with big offers as bait.
It was an easy decision to jump to the new league as I joined the Oakland Invaders. By this point, I understood the business of professional football: take only what I need for a five-month stay as it is not home and is unlikely to become one. This was a job that I just happened to love, but I learned not to get too attached to any team or city.
I thoroughly enjoyed my one year in the USFL. Sure, the league and the talent were a grade below, but it had many up-and-coming stars and former NFL powerhouses seeking better packages. It boasted talented studs like Reggie White, Herschel Walker, Jim Kelly, Sam Mills, and Anthony Carter. Steve Young signed a forty-million-dollar contract with the Los Angeles Express one year before I joined and managed to jump to the 49ers as the USFL folded. So, he like many others made out well to work this angle.
More on the USFL and other topics in my forthcoming memoir, Aggressively Human, to be released on all platforms in November 2023.
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