Dr. Jerry Argovitz, Former Agent and Owner of the Houston Gamblers, Dies at 89

HOUSTON — Dr. Jerry Argovitz, a dentist who later became a powerful sports agent and owner of the American Football League’s Houston Gamblers, has died at the age of 89 in Nevada, KHOU 11 News has learned.

Argowitz, a Texas native, was the primary owner of the Gamblers until they were sold in 1985 to a group of New York investors who owned the New Jersey Generals, including Donald Trump. The two clubs eventually merged; Argowitz was later named president and head of football operations.

The photo above shows Gamblers star quarterback Jim Kelly, who later played for the Buffalo Bills.

He earned millions of dollars representing about two dozen professional football players in the early 1980s, including Billy Sims of Detroit, Robert Brazile of Houston, Joe Cribbs of Buffalo, Curtis Dickey of Baltimore and David Overstreet of Miami. The USFL forced Argowitz to sell his agent business when he became a franchise owner to avoid a possible conflict of interest.

“Argovitz’s exit from the agent business is a relief to NFL owners around the world who have become accustomed to Argovitz’s clients missing training camps and games during contract disputes,” he said. wrote UPI’s Gary Taylor in 1983.

The United States Football League never played a 1986 season following an attempt to move its season from spring to fall.

Argowitz and his wife later endowed the Jerry Argovitz Sports Institute in California. In 2015, Rancho Mirage (CA) High School dedicated a football stadium in honor of Argowitz, who was a seasonal resident there.