Cunningham will sign with Dallas

By ERNEST HOOPER

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 8, 2000

Randall Cunningham apparently has spurned the Bucs to continue his career with the Dallas Cowboys.

Cunningham indicated to CNN/SI late Wednesday night that he plans to sign with Dallas, perhaps as early as today. The Bucs were believed to be the front-runners when the 37-year-old quarterback was released by the Vikings Friday, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and an array of coaches met with Cunningham last weekend in his hometown of Las Vegas.

Cunningham told CNN/SI the deal would be a three-year contract for salary-cap purposes, but could be as short as one year.

Cunningham will earn about $1-million from the Cowboys this season between his base salary and signing bonus. The deal includes an incentive package that could add another $500,000, depending on his playing time, CNN/SI reported.

"I've already let them know," Cunningham said. "We were working on that cap stuff (Wednesday). I'm about a day away from officially being a Cowboy. In my heart I've already made the decision. There's nothing really in the way of me signing with the Cowboys.

"I'm very happy. I know my role with them. I'm going in as a backup. It's good to know where I stand."

Dallas enticed Cunningham with the chance to make more money and the Cowboys offense is better suited for his skills. The Bucs, who signed backup Eric Zeier to a three-year, $3-million deal in March, reportedly offered Cunningham approximately $500,000.

Bucs coach Tony Dungy gave his most definitive statement of the week when asked about Cunningham on Wednesday, saying if the two-time MVP wanted to play for Tampa Bay, all ne needed to do was ask.

"If he says he wants to come, we would be all set for it," Dungy said. "I think we kind of laid out where we are. The thing I tried to make crystal clear was here was our situation. He knows what that is and if he's ready for it, I think it could be a good mix. "If it's Tampa, I'm pretty sure we could get it worked out," Dungy added.

Dungy said if the team did not get Cunningham, the Bucs might consider other veterans. If they do, they likely will have to compete with Detroit.

Along with Dallas and Tampa Bay, the Lions were a contender for Cunningham. The Lions lost quarterback Charlie Batch for three months with a knee injury. Ex-Lion Rodney Peete is a possibility to fill in for Batch.

The Bucs are commited to second-year pro Shaun King as the starter, and have Zeier, Scott Milanovich and rookie Joe Hamilton.

"If it's not (Cunningham), we're ready to go and we feel like we have a pretty good group here," Dungy said.

Warner trooper trouble

DES MOINES, Iowa -- A trooper is under investigation for stopping Kurt Warner for speeding, then taking a souvenir photo and issuing only a warning.

Warner was stopped March 23 as he headed to a Red Cross benefit in the Cedar Falls area. Warner was driving 74 mph in a 55 mph zone, police said.

The Iowa State Patrol said troopers have discretion in such matters, but it is not policy to give a warning for exceeding the speed limit by 19 mph.

The Rams quarterback told of the encounter last month while in Iowa to have his jersey number retired by his former Arena League team, the Iowa Barnstormers.

"He comes up and recognizes me and says, "Hey, it's a pleasure to meet you," Warner said. "I'm thinking, "All right, I'm in good shape.' "

Warner did have to do one favor.

"He asked if I would get out of my truck and go back in front of the squad car and wave into his camera so that his son would really believe that he pulled over Kurt Warner," he said.

Warner was stopped by Sgt. Randy Jones, who called Warner a role "model to young people."

EAGLES: Receiver Brian Mitchell visited the team and said that he is very interested in playing. Mitchell, an unrestricted free agent, was a bitter rival for 10 seasons while a member of the Redskins.

"It's basically a feeling-out process," said Mitchell, who was released by the Redskins last week as a salary-cap move. "They have a lot of interest in me and I have a lot of interest here, so we'll see what happens. The Eagles have shown the most interest in me."

49ERS: Tight end Greg Clark signed a three-year, $6.7-million contract. Free-agent tackle Matt Willig was signed to a two-year deal worth just under $1-million and linebacker Edward Thomas to a one-year pact for $193,000.

SEAHAWKS: Concussion plagued quarterback Steve Young, who met Tuesday with Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, said at a news conference in Santa Clara, Calif., that he plans to discuss his future with Mike Holmgren next.

If Young expresses an interest in playing in Seattle next season, the team could have a new starting quarterback very quickly.

"I would be interested in talking to him," Holmgren said earlier this week. "He and I go way back -- he babysat for my kids."

Holmgren was Young's position coach at Brigham Young.

LEWIS TRIAL: Blood from a defendant in the trial that once included Ray Lewis was on one of two men stabbed to death after the Super Bowl, a crime scene technician testified in Atlanta.

The technician, Dawn Pierce, said that blood from Reginald Oakley was found on the coat Jacinth Baker was wearing when he and Richard Lollar were killed.

OBITUARY: Don Klosterman, a general manager in three professional football leagues with such teams as the Chargers, Oilers, Colts and Rams, has died. He was 70. The cause of Klosterman's death late Tuesday was not immediately made public, and no other information was released at the request of his family.

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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