Aikman Wants Deion Prime Time Could Also Line Up At Wide Receiver For Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman is willing to give up some of his salary to help the team sign Deion Sanders.

In fact, Aikman said he’d play for free if Sanders’ presence would guarantee a third Super Bowl appearance.

The Dallas Morning News reported today that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has formulated a plan to finance his recruiting of the San Francisco 49ers cornerback through a restructuring of Aikman’s contract.

Aikman is willing to go along with the plan because he thinks Sanders can improve the team’s chances of winning the Super Bowl.

“To me, there is one thing, and that’s winning the Super Bowl,” Aikman said Thursday. “What price do you put on it? I don’t know. But, for me, it is awfully high.

“If there was a guarantee we would play in the Super Bowl if Deion Sanders played for the Cowboys this season, he could play here for my salary. I would play for free if we could have the third Super Bowl.”

Aikman is scheduled to be paid $4.15 million and count $5.525 million toward the Dallas salary cap, including his signing bonus.

Those totals would change if Jones is able to restructure his contract and those of some other players.

It is believed the Cowboys may have the upper hand in the courting of Sanders because of their reported willingness to allow Sanders a chance to also play wide receiver at times.

Steelers’ Lloyd pays price

The NFL has fined Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Greg Lloyd $12,000 for a hit on Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre.

Lloyd decked Favre just after the quarterback delivered a pass in the second quarter of the Packers’ 36-13 victory Sunday. Referee Gordon McCarter said the hit, which left Favre with a mild concussion, was legal.

But Packers general manager Ron Wolf complained to the league on Monday. Packers coach Mike Holmgren said the hit was on the border of being a dirty play.

Levy back, for now

Chuck Levy, last year’s second-round draft choice of the Arizona Cardinals, returned to the team after missing two days for what coach Buddy Ryan said were personal reasons.

Levy, who has acknowledged that the NFL may suspend him for a violation of the league’s substanceabuse policy, declined comment on reports that he made a trip to Washington to plead his case.

Bears play stadium game

A proposal that would attach a domed stadium for the Chicago Bears to the McCormick Place convention center is just that, and has not been endorsed by Gov. Jim Edgar, his deputy chief of staff said Friday.

“People in the investment banking community are suggesting it might be an option,” said Andy Foster, Edgar’s point man on the stadium issue. “Until we see it’s concrete and how it’s put together, we’re not taking a position on it.”

Edgar on Thursday suggested building a multipurpose, domed stadium at the sprawling lakefront convention center, which may be a way to keep the Bears in Chicago. The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority has the authority to issue bonds for construction and might be able to finance a new stadium, he said.

Bears president Michael McCaskey has said he would consider moving the NFL team to another city or state because Soldier Field is too old. The team’s lease expires in 1999.

Vikings 20, Raiders 17

The defenses made the big plays and backup quarterback Brad Johnson made the difference in Minnesota’ exhibition win over Oakland.

With the Vikings trailing 17-14 with 1:49 left to play, Johnson relieved third-stringer Chad May and led a 47-yard touchdown drive with no timeouts. He finished the drive with an 18-yard scoring pass to Chris Walsh, who broke free from Dan Land at the 2 and scored with 6 seconds to play.

Johnson, who also threw a TD pass in the second quarter, finished 11 of 17 for 99 yards.

Before Johnson’s heroics, it was the defenses that shone.

Backup cornerback James Trapp gave Oakland a 7-0 lead in the first quarter with a 59-yard run after taking a lateral from tackle Chester McGlockton, who intercepted a terrible pass by Warren Moon.

Backup Minnesota linebacker Richard Brown answered with a 13-yard interception return of Billy Joe Hobert’s pass for a 14-7 lead in the third quarter.

The Vikings (2-1) intercepted Jeff Hostetler and Hobert twice each, but Oakland (2-1) rallied with 10 fourth-quarter points. Second-year running back Calvin Jones tied it with a 6-yard run on the first play of the quarter, and Jeff Jaeger’s 23-yard field goal provided the go-ahead points with 7:52 to play.

Both teams played without key starters scratched just before kickoff due to injuries.

Rams 27, Jaguars 10

The first home game for the Jacksonville Jaguars wound up being the first victory for the St. Louis Rams.

Chris Miller threw a pair of touchdown passes to Issac Bruce and Tommy Maddox sealed the victory with a fourth-quarter TD pass to Turhon O’Bannon, giving the Rams the win over the expansion Jaguars.

St. Louis (1-2) snapped an 11-game losing streak in the preseason in the process.

The Jaguars, playing their first game at the new $140 million Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, got strong performances from quarterback Steve Beuerlein and their defense, which limited the Rams to only 222 yards and sacked Miller five times in the first half.

But Jacksonville was hampered by a plethora of expansion-like mistakes, including three critical turnovers and 14 penalties for 163 yards, ruining the historic night for an estimated 70,000 fans.