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SportsFebruary 28, 2002

WACO, Texas -- Troy Aikman still believes he can play in the NFL. A year after he was cut by the Dallas Cowboys, though, he doesn't miss it as much as he thought he would. "There's a general perception that I'm looking to get back into the league, and that's really not true," Aikman said. "I'm very happy doing what I'm doing with Fox and I'm happy right now in my personal life with my family...

By Stephen Hawkens, The Associated Press

WACO, Texas -- Troy Aikman still believes he can play in the NFL. A year after he was cut by the Dallas Cowboys, though, he doesn't miss it as much as he thought he would.

"There's a general perception that I'm looking to get back into the league, and that's really not true," Aikman said. "I'm very happy doing what I'm doing with Fox and I'm happy right now in my personal life with my family.

"It was a really good year for me and it would take a pretty good situation football-wise for me to get out of that and back on the field."

Aikman wasn't as ready to walk away from the game when the Cowboys cut him last March because of salary cap and health concerns. It took another month before the quarterback who won three Super Bowls decided to retire.

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He has since found contentment as a husband, father and NFL broadcaster for the Fox network.

"I've put it all in perspective. This is another part of my life," said Aikman, 35, who Tuesday night was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

Aikman's wife, Rhonda, is expecting another daughter in August. The couple also has a 6-month-old daughter and are raising a 12-year-old daughter from her previous marriage.

Since his retirement, Aikman said he has been contacted by "a few teams" to gauge his level of interest in playing.

"I'm certainly not going out of my way trying to figure out where I can latch on with a team," Aikman said. "If I had wanted to play, I could have played last season and be with a team right now."

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