Mike Keller Michael F . Keller ( born December 13 , 1949 ) is a former American football player and executive and current Chief Operating Officer of the Spring Professional Football League . 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 , Keller attended Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids , Michigan . University of Michigan . Keller played college football as a defensive end for the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1971 . As a senior , he started all 11 games and the 1972 Rose Bowl at Defensive End 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 as well as Associated Press 3rd Team All America . In July 1972 , Keller was selected to play in the annual Chicago College All - Star Game along with Michigan teammates Thom Darden , Reggie McKenzie and Mike Taylor . Dallas Cowboys . Keller was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys 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 . " 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 . 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 , 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 . " Keller is the Chief Operating Officer of the Spring Professional Football League . Family . Keller and his wife , Kimberly , have two grown children , Jessica and Sam . 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 .