Sanders’ Dad Goes to NFL to Discuss Player’s Rights

The father of Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders said today he has met with NFL officials to discuss the player’s rights if he skips his final season at Oklahoma State to turn professional.

William Sanders of Wichita, Kan., told the Associated Press in a telephone interview that he believes that his son knows he made the trip but added, “we haven’t talked about it.”

Sanders said he planned to go to Stillwater, Okla., either tonight or Tuesday to talk to his son and tell him what he learned from the visit with NFL officials.

“They said they’ve never had a case like Barry’s before and that they would like him to submit a letter explaining his circumstances,” Sanders said.

“The NFL people didn’t give me any indication whether Barry would be allowed into the league. They wanted to raise the possibility that Barry may not get in.”

Should Sanders, a running back, go to the NFL next fall, he would be the first routine college junior to make such a jump.

Sanders has until April 10 to apply in writing for eligibility for the draft later that month.

Although several players with remaining college eligibility have applied and been selected in the NFL’s drafts, most had graduated early, reached their fifth year of college or somehow had their college eligibility stripped.

Sanders initially announced that he would return to Oklahoma State for his senior year, but he has left open the possibility that he would change his mind.

“He’s definitely made up his mind about what he’s going to do,” the elder Sanders said today. But he said he asked Barry not to tell him until a day or so before announcing his intentions.

“That way I can say I don’t know,” the father said.

Oklahoma State’s football program has been placed on probation for four years, and the school will not be able to play in a postseason bowl for three years or on television for two.

The elder Sanders said today that it was not so much the probation but his son’s marketability that caused him to hope his son would turn pro now.