Falcons Warn Yankees on Sanders : Litigation: The Atlanta football team threatens to sue the New York club for $2.6 million if the cornerback signs a baseball contract with it.

An attorney for the Atlanta Falcons sent a letter to the New York Yankees today saying the NFL club will sue for more than $2.6 million if cornerback Deion Sanders goes through with plans to sign a baseball contract with the Yankees.

Falcons attorney Marion Allen III told Yankees Vice President George Bradley in the letter that not only will the National Football League club seek the “immediate return” of a $2-million signing bonus from Sanders, but the team also will sue the Yankees for damages.

“You are aware that Sanders is and remains under contract with the Atlanta Falcons through their 1992 season,” Allen wrote. He added that the Falcons will “seek injunctive as well as compensatory and punitive relief against the Yankees” for interference with the Falcons’ contractual relationships with Sanders.

The letter followed reports Sunday that Falcons President Taylor Smith met with Sanders’ attorney, Eugene Parker, in Atlanta, telling him that the Falcons were “prepared to take all action necessary to enforce our rights” under the four-year, $4.4-million contract the 6-1, 195-pound Sanders signed last September.

Sanders’ base salary for the upcoming football season is $550,000.

“They’re trying to scare me. I don’t scare. I’ve got Mr. (George) Steinbrenner in my corner. They don’t scare him,” Sanders said Sunday after hitting his third home run of the season as the Yankees swept a double-header from Cleveland. The hit raised the outfielder’s batting average to .158.

Allen wrote that the Falcons will seek the return of Sanders’ $2-million signing bonus, a $10,000 fine for Sanders missing the team’s mini-training camp, $1,500-per-day fine for failing to report to training camp, reduction of Sanders’ yearly salary by $150,000 for each of the remaining contract years and the return of $150,000 of his 1989 salary.

Regarding the possibility of losing most of his signing bonus, Sanders said: “They’re going to take a wing off my mother’s million-dollar home.”

The Yankees reportedly have offered Sanders a $2.5-million contract, including a $1-million base salary for the 1991 season plus up to $1 million more in incentive bonuses. The amount could go even higher if the Yankees pick up all or part of the penalties the Falcons levy against Sanders.