Verizon was offered the iPhone and turned it down.
In 2005 Steve Jobs went looking for a carrier to sell his phone exclusively. Verizon Wireless balked at his terms, a share of the monthly fees and control over how the phone was sold and repaired. Cingular, soon AT&T, signed for five years. Verizon did not sell an iPhone until February 10, 2011.
Verizon on Brandseum