Dorsett Says Schramm Spread News of Financial Problems

Running back Tony Dorsett of the Dallas Cowboys, saying that he may retire or ask to be traded if his contract demands are not met, has accused Tex Schramm, team president, of spreading his financial business all over town.

Dorsett, who has been plagued by financial problems and has not reported to the Cowboys’ training camp in Thousand Oaks, told the Dallas Times Herald that Schramm promised him two years ago that his contract would be renegotiated.

Instead, he said, “once Schramm found out what my problems were contractually, he leaked my information to the media and made my business public information.”

He added that the story about his business problems were “planted by Tex.”

Schramm said Wednesday that he was “not going to get into a media debate” with Dorsett. He said that the running back “is a Cowboy. . . . part of our family,” and that there was nothing to gain by treating Dorsett unfairly.

“He made the specific statement that I promised him we would renegotiate. I never, never said to Tony Dorsett or (agent) Witt Stewart that I would renegotiate,” Schramm said.

Dorsett has three years left on his seven-year, $2.7 million contract with the Cowboys and has asked agent Howard Slusher to negotiate a new deal.

“Right now, I’m prepared to sit out for as long as I have to sit out,” Dorsett said. “If that means retiring, I might have to do that if the Cowboys don’t pay me what they promised.”

Dorsett, whose problems include an IRS claim of $400,000 in back income taxes and a $250,000 divorce settlement, hinted that he might ask the Cowboys to trade him “so I can bargain in good faith with another team.”