WASHINGTON -- The Michigan Panthers of the new U.S. Football League have offered Washington Redskins fullback John Riggins a $1 million, two-year contract, the Washington Post reported in its Monday editions.
Riggins, who is a free agent, rushed for 166 yards during the Redskins Super Bowl victory over the Miami Dolphins, setting an NFL record.
USFL sources described Riggins negotiations as 'serious,' the newspaper reported.
Riggins earned $330,000 last year, the final year of his contract, the newspaper said.
'I have no idea what they (the Panthers) are doing,' Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke told the Post. 'I very definately will meet with him (Riggins) soon and I fully expect to sign him.'
Shopping center developer Alfred Taubman, the Michigan club's principal owner, is one of the USFL's wealthiest owners, the newspaper reported. Neither Taubman nor Riggins was immediately available for comment.
The newspaper said: 'The question remains whether Riggins is using his negotiations with the Panthers as leverage to raise significantly his salary with the Redskins.'
The USFL's territorial system gives the Boston Breakers the rights to Riggins because he attended Kansas, the newspaper said. But the sources the Post quoted said Michigan is seeking or hasalready acquired the rights from Boston.
