Dad Wants Barry With Lions

The father of Barry Sanders says his son should return to the Detroit Lions long enough to break Walter Payton's NFL rushing record. He plans to make the pitch this weekend.

William Sanders also said Wednesday he understands the Lions' reluctance to trade his son.

"If I were the Lions, I wouldn't trade Barry Sanders, either," he said from his home in Wichita, Kan.

The elder Sanders said his son is supposed to visit this weekend.

"He's in for a father-and-son talk," William Sanders said. "I'm going to advise him to go back to Detroit. No situation is so bad you can't go back."

As far as the Lions are concerned, Sanders has retired and that's it.

"We're respecting Barry's wish to retire," Lions spokesman Bill Keenist said. "And until we hear otherwise from him, we're not going to comment."

The 31-year-old running back was 1,458 yards short of breaking Payton's career record when he retired July 28. Since then, the Lions have demanded that he repay $5.6 million of the $11 million signing bonus he got when he signed a six-year, $36 million contract in 1997.

Sanders' agents, David Ware and Lamont Smith, say their client must be traded or granted free agency before any money is returned. The club says it will not give up its rights to Sanders.

Sanders will have to decide on his own whether to end his retirement, his father said.

"He's a man," the elder Sanders said. "If he was 15, I would tell him."

The dispute has gone to arbitration.

William Sanders told The Detroit News he would advise his son to "return the money and go about his business" if he chooses to remain retired.

Ware said Tuesday he was familiar with reports of William Sanders' plans to try to talk with his son about rejoining the Lions. But Ware said Sanders still has not said anything about returning to football.

William Sanders said he would advise his son that he return to the Lions on the condition that he be traded after breaking Payton's record. But, he added, "I don't know what he wants to do."

Detroit, playing without Sanders for the first time since 1989, is 2-0 and off to its best start since 1993. The Lions play Sunday at Kansas City, then have a bye week. Their fourth game is Oct. 10 against San Diego at the Silverdome.

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