Dickerson Will Appeal to Tagliabue

Running back Eric Dickerson claimed Saturday he never was warned by the Indianapolis Colts he would be put out of action for six weeks if he refused to take a physical. He also said he will appeal the action to NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

“I never refused to take a physical, I never used those words,” said Dickerson, who missed three scheduled physicals and was suspended. “My hamstring is fine. I feel I could play right now.”

Dickerson, the NFL’s seventh-leading all-time rusher, said he was not warned by General Manager Jim Irsay he would be given such a lengthy banishment if he left without undergoing an exam.

“If he (Irsay) had said, ‘Take the physical or we suspend you,’ I would have probably taken the physical,” Dickerson said. “But he never said that, not once. Normally, they use this (inactive) list for people with major injuries. All we’re talking about here is a hamstring.”

Irsay said Dickerson was “told about the consequences” of not taking the physical. “He was told directly,” Irsay said Friday night.