Aikman Cleared To Play

	IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Troy Aikman will play Sunday. Only the
Dallas Cowboys may have trouble hearing his signals because of the
hole in his tongue.
	Aikman was cleared to play against the Cincinnati Bengals
although he sustained his fourth NFL concussion Sunday when Arizona
linebacker Wilber Marshall's helmet hit his chin.
	``I'm playing Sunday,'' Aikman said. ``Of all the concussions
I've had this is a minor one. I could have come back in the game in
the second half.''
	Rodney Peete rallied Dallas to a 28-21 victory after Aikman left
in the first quarter.
	Aikman struggled to make himself heard Monday. He had stitches
in his chin and a hole in his tongue.
	``I feel fine,'' he said. ``I don't have any post concussion
syndrome.''
	Aikman had one concussion at Henryetta High School in Oklahoma
and another playing college football.
	``You have to be somewhat concerned by concussions but it's
something you just have to deal with,'' Aikman said. ``I don't want
it to get out of hand. I want to live a normal life after pro
football. I'm aware of what happened to Merrill Hoge.
	``But I didn't blackout this time like I have in the past. I
know my body pretty good now. There's no question I'll be able to
go on Sunday.''
	Trainers will rig up a longer face mask to protect Aikman's
chin,.
	``It seems like I'm always getting hit there,'' he said. ``I
just need a longer face mask.''
	He could also use some solid food.
	``I can't eat right now,'' he said. ``I'm just living on
liquids.''
	He said he has seen the replay of the Marshall hit and called it
``somewhat frightening. It could have possibly been called a spear
with the crown of the helmet. There's a question whether it was
within the rules of the game.''
	Marshall wasn't penalized on the play.
	Dallas trainer Kevin O'Neill said Aikman's concussion wasn't as
severe as the one he got in the NFC title game last year.
	``This one shouldn't keep him from playing on Sunday,'' O'Neill
said.
	He said Aikman will undergo a brainwave study next week. It will
give doctors a record of a normal Aikman brainwave.
	``This will be a good record so if it happens again they can
check to see if there is any abnormality,'' O'Neill said. ``Roger
Staubach had to leave the game when abnormalities started showing
up.''
	The Cowboys Staubach retired after numerous concussions.
	O'Neill said Aikman's concussions have come over an ``expanded
period of time.''
	``He had two in his first two years with the Cowboys and two in
his last two,'' O'Neill said. ``No case is the same. Troy is OK.''