
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, September 1, 1994                   TAG: 9409010077
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GREEN SIGNS ONE-YEAR DEAL WITH PITTSBURGH

Former Liberty star Eric Green took a monster gamble Wednesday, rejecting the Pittsburgh Steelers' $10 million offer to sign a one-year contract worth $1.4 million so he can retain his right to free agency.

The Pro Bowl tight end, faced with reporting or not playing Sunday against the Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys, ended a six-week holdout by signing the offer initially tendered him last spring.

``I want to be compensated for what I've done, but the Steelers weren't prepared to do that,'' said the 290-pound Green, the NFL's biggest tight end. ``I'll never know how much I'm worth until I'm on the free market.''

His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and Steelers negotiator Dan Ferens discussed a long-term contract even after Green showed up at Three Rivers Stadium about an hour before practice. But the Steelers wouldn't sweeten their five-year, $2 million-a-year proposal, and Rosenhaus didn't back off his demand for $2.5 million annually.

Keywords:
FOOTBALL

by CNB