Sanders Seen Ready to Sign $2.5-Million Yankees Deal

Deion Sanders is on the verge of signing a one-year, $2.5-million contract with the New York Yankees that will delay his return to the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons until early October, the Atlanta Journal reported today.

The newspaper quoted sources close to Sanders and within the Yankees organization as saying the contract will pay Sanders a base salary of $1 million for the 1991 season, plus as much as $1 million in performance incentives.

It could cost the Yankees as much as $2.5 million if, as expected, they pick up all or part of the penalties the Falcons might levy against him, the report said. The newspaper said the deal could be finalized as early as Saturday.

Eugene Parker, Sanders’ attorney, said the signing is “inevitable at this point,” but he declined comment on contract details.

A new contract would bind Sanders to the Yankees for the remainder of the 1990 baseball season. His current baseball contract was to expire July 31.

Falcons officials conceded today that Sanders, the team’s first-round draft pick in 1989, had all but decided to miss the Falcons training camp and part of the regular season.

Sanders signed a four-year, $4.4-million contract with the Falcons last Sept. 7. His base salary for this season is $550,000.