PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : League to Investigate Dickerson Incident

The NFL has been asked to investigate a report that Eric Dickerson, angered by an interview question, shoved a sportswriter before being restrained by an Indianapolis Colt teammate.

Tom Rietmann, an Indianapolis News reporter who has covered the Colts since they moved to the city in 1984, asked Dickerson on Thursday about his return to Los Angeles on Sept. 15, when the Colts will play the Raiders. After not responding to one of the questions, the News reported that Dickerson began shouting obscenities at Rietmann and accused him of looking only for controversial stories.

Rietmann asked him why he would say that, then Dickerson shoved him back several feet, knocking him off balance. Dickerson was restrained by cornerback Eugene Daniel.

Although Colt Coach Ron Meyer and General Manager Jim Irsay both offered public apologies for the incident, Dickerson left the locker room without a word. Rietmann declined to comment.

The Miami Dolphins signed holdout kicker Pete Stoyanovich for reportedly about $500,000 over two years. But Stoyanovich will not dress for Sunday’s home game against Indianapolis. Stoyanovich was 21 of 25 on field-goal attempts last season.

Charlie Baumann took Stoyanovich’s place in last Sunday’s loss to Buffalo. Stoyanovich’s signing leaves defensive lineman Brian Sochia as the only unsigned Dolphin.

“You’re talking about two entirely different situations,” Dolphin president Tim Robbie said. “We don’t want to reward Stoyanovich for holding out, but he’s a good kicker and we’re working a lot harder to get him done than we will with Sochia.”

The Philadelphia Eagles aren’t going to take any chances with Randall Cunningham’s rehabilitation. He won’t be allowed to visit the sideline during games.

Although league rules would allow him to watch games from the field, team trainer Otho Davis said Cunningham will stay away as a safety precaution. “We don’t want him exposed to another injury,” Davis said. Cunningham is expected to return to Philadelphia within two weeks from Los Angeles, where he underwent surgery Wednesday to repair tears in his left knee ligaments.

Bobby Hebert is probably glad the New Orleans Saints are playing at Kansas City Sunday. He will get booed less.

Hebert threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-24 victory over Seattle at the Superdome last Sunday, but it wasn’t enough to make Saint fans forgive him for sitting out the entire 1990 season in a contract dispute and wanting to leave them.

Coach Jim Mora was surprised at the vehemence of the crowd’s reaction, which did not appear to soften even after Hebert made a game-winning 10-yard touchdown pass to Floyd Turner.

“I don’t like it,” Mora said. “I don’t think he deserves it.”