(North Pole)- Santa Claus, the four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, announced his plans to return to the NFL Sunday afternoon. Reclining in an overstuffed armchair in the den of his ice castle, Santa explained his decision to a small group of reporters brave enough to withstand the cold.

"Although working one day a year has plenty of perks," explained old Saint Nick, "Working once a week for four months isn't too bad either." As he laughed to himself, he shouted "Ho ho ho, who needs a run-stopping defensive tackle to help make a playoff run?"

"The Cowboys are God's team," explained Santa, his belly giggling like a bowl full of jelly, "and Christmas is about God and all that stuff, so it seems like a good fit to me."

A successful comeback is certainly not guaranteed- but according to reports out of the North Pole, Claus has been working out feverishly since deciding to return to football. He has been spotted playing Wii Tennis, as well as tossing elves for distance and shredding some serious licks in Guitar Hero Three.

Claus reluctantly hung up his cleats after a knee injury in week 14 of the 1989 season. Fighting back tears, Santa resigned himself to his previous job of delivering presents annually on December 24th. But perhaps nearly two decades away from the game have given Claus a revitalized desire to play football. Although he turns 671 years young next August, Santa still managed to make record time delivering presents on Christmas Eve this year, averaging an impressive 872.1 houses per second.

Since the announcement of his return to the NFL, several teams have shown interest in signing the 6'4'' 355 lb. defensive tackle. The Dallas Cowboys, who inked trouble-making pass rusher Tank Johnson earlier this season, are at the top of Santa's "Nice List."

Santa Claus could be a valuable asset to many teams as the playoffs approach, despite the fact that the big man has been out of the league since 1989. Claus won two Superbowls in his career, the first as a backup with the 1980 Pittsburgh Steelers in his rookie year. In his second Superbowl appearance, he started for the vaunted defense of the 1986 Chicago Bears. Claus recorded 2.5 sacks and had a forced fumble en route to a 46-10 rout of the New England Patriots. In his career, Santa averages 3.6 tackles and .41 sacks per game.