No retirement party
Aikman says he has years left to play
IRVING - Two days after the hit that knocked him out of Monday's game, Troy Aikman's headaches persist and he admits to being a little dizzy. Still, Aikman was thinking clearly enough Wednesday to clear up some of the questions regarding his status.
Aikman will return, but not this Sunday
11/11/99
By David Moore / The Dallas Morning News
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IRVING - Troy Aikman doesn't remember the hit that knocked him out of Monday's Minnesota game. The headaches have persisted and he admitted to being a little dizzy.
Still, Aikman was thinking clearly enough Wednesday to clear up some of the questions regarding his status.
Aikman will not play Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. He stressed that while he takes his latest concussion seriously - the ninth by his count - he has not considered retirement.
The Cowboys quarterback avoided setting a timetable for his return but did say he hoped to be ready for the game against Arizona on Nov. 21. Aikman acknowledged that he was told he suffered a concussion against Indianapolis 11 days ago even though Cowboys officials have repeatedly maintained he didn't. He said he doesn't regret his decision to play Monday night against the Vikings and would do so again.
"I feel like I've been responsible," Aikman said. "I say that while trying to make it very clear that at this time, I'm not considering walking away from the game. I still feel like I have years left in me and can continue to play."
Sunday afternoon marks the first time this decade the Cowboys will kick off a game without the services of Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith. Irvin hasn't played since he suffered a spinal contusion in early October and his future is uncertain. Smith had a plate and screws inserted into his broken right hand Tuesday night by Dr. Hugh Frederick and is expected to be out from two to five weeks.
Michael Mulvey / DMN
Troy Aikman says the concussion he suffered Monday will not end his career.
"If you talk to Emmitt, he wants to play this week," Cowboys coach Chan Gailey said. "I would say he's out this week for sure, then I think we take his situation a week at a time."
Smith excused himself for an appointment Wednesday and told reporters he would talk at a later date.
Aikman did talk. He said he doesn't remember the hit from Minnesota's Jerry Ball that knocked him out of the game or the play that was called. But he said he does remember everything from that point.
The Cowboys medical staff has recommended that Aikman not play against the Packers. That same staff cleared him to play against the Vikings even though he was bothered by headaches four days after he suffered a helmet-to-helmet blow in the loss to the Colts.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and trainer Jim Maurer have said repeatedly that MRI results showed Aikman did not suffer a concussion in that game. Aikman said Wednesday that he did.
The club has altered its policy this week and refused to make Maurer available to the media. Jones has not returned calls from The Morning News for the last two days.
Despite this discrepancy, Aikman said he's satisfied with the direction and advice provided by the Cowboys medical staff.
"I think the decision to play against Minnesota was an informed decision and I think it was the right decision," Aikman said. "I've never missed a game due to a concussion in years past, and I've had much more severe ones than Indianapolis. It was just unfortunate that I happened to have another one."
The fact Aikman has been knocked out of games by a blow to the head twice in an eight-day span is the reason he won't play against the Packers. He said it would be wrong to speculate how long he might be out because he didn't want to rush, but added, "I'm hopeful it will only be one game."
Aikman plans to meet with a neurologist later in the week and have more tests conducted. He said Tuesday's MRI didn't raise any red flags about his condition.
"If the MRI showed something, then you're a little late in the game, anyway," Aikman said. "If something had shown up, I would probably be at my retirement party."
That's a party the 32-year-old Aikman doesn't intend to throw in the near future.
"Retirement is not a consideration," Aikman said. "It's not something I'm thinking about or even weighing as an option right now.
"I feel that in time I'll be fine and be able to resume playing. I anticipate that will happen very soon."
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