The next season saw the arrival of the franchise's first superstar, Byron "Whizzer" White. The Pirates selected White, the All-America quarterback from the University of Colorado, with the fourth overall selection of the 1938 NFL Draft and offered him an unheard of salary of $15,000 (around $ today) to join the team. White declined the generous offer, in order to continue his education through a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University. However, when he was able to arrange to defer his start at Oxford until January, he reconsidered and signed the deal. In addition to the league-high salary, the terms of the deal also included a share of the gate at exhibition games for White, who earned a total of $15,800 (around $ today). In comparison, McNally who served as both coach and player earned just $3,500 (roughly $ today). The big contract Rooney gave White angered several of his fellow owners.