$1.45 Million May Not Be Enough for Dickerson to Have Fun in ’90

INDIANAPOLIS —  The Indianapolis Colts want to sign Eric Dickerson to a contract extension. But, in an interview published Friday, the NFL’s seventh all-time rusher said he might not even report for training camp next summer.

“Right now, I plan on coming in, but there’s still a chance I might not show up,” Dickerson said in an interview with The Atlanta Constitution.

Dickerson is under contract to play next season for $1.45 million, the final year of the contract he signed after his trade to Indianapolis by the Rams on Oct. 31, 1987.

“I don’t love football the way I once loved the game,” he told the newspaper in a telephone interview. “I don’t look at it as fun anymore, and it definitely used to be fun. A lot of the fun has been taken away from it, I guess, because you go through so much on the field and off the field.”

Dickerson, who rushed for 10,000 yards quicker than any back in NFL history (91 games), was bothered by a nagging hamstring injury for much of the past season and missed a game due to injury for the first time in his NFL career at Miami on Nov. 5.

He’s scheduled to play in the Pro Bowl next month. “I’m not hurt badly now. It makes you think that maybe it’s time to get out healthy,” said Dickerson, who rushed for 1,311 yards in 314 carries in 1989.