Reds Give Sanders Permission To Play For Cowboys

The Cincinnati Reds have spoken: Barring an unlikely change in the standings, Deion Sanders will be a Cowboys cornerback on Sundays and a Reds outfielder until the baseball season ends.

Sanders has informed Cincinnati general manager Jim Bowden that he will stay with the fourth-place Reds through their final game in September, even though contractually he could leave before then.

The Reds, in turn, already have given Sanders permission to play in the Cowboys’ four regular-season games that conflict with the baseball schedule, Bowden said Monday.

“He’ll play in all the Cowboys games and he’ll finish the season with us,” said Bowden. “Deion and I have talked about that, and he’s going to play both sports.”

But Bowden refused comment when asked if Sanders would be allowed a day or two each week to practice with the Cowboys.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has insisted since Sanders signed a two-year contract with the Reds last winter that the two-sport star would not miss any of Dallas’ games.

Bowden’s comments were the first confirmation from the Reds that Sanders’ football career - barring a sudden surge by Cincinnati in the standings - won’t be interrupted.

Sanders’ contract has a clause that allows him to play football only if Cincinnati is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

But Bowden said there is another clause in the deal in which Sanders can be released on football game days by mutual agreement between him and Cowboys owner Jones.

Bowden said Sanders wants to finish the Reds’ season in part because he is chasing the major-league stolen base crown and because Sanders feels this has been his best season as a baseball player.