Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens

Owens in 2017
No. 81
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1973-12-07)December 7, 1973 Alexander City, Alabama,U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	224 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	Benjamin Russell (Alexander City, Alabama)
College:	Chattanooga(1992–1995)
NFL draft:	1996/ Round: 3 / Pick: 89
Career history
San Francisco 49ers(1996–2003) Philadelphia Eagles(2004–2005) Dallas Cowboys(2006–2008) Buffalo Bills(2009) Cincinnati Bengals(2010) Allen Wranglers(2012) Seattle Seahawks(2012)* FCF Zappers(2022) Knights of Degen (2022)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
5× First-teamAll-Pro(2000–2002,2004,2007) 6×Pro Bowl(2000–2004,2007) 3×NFL receiving touchdowns leader(2001, 2002, 2006) NFL 2000s All-Decade Team San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 1,078 Receiving yards: 15,934 Receivingtouchdowns: 153
Player stats atPFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Terrell Eldorado Owens(/ˈtɛrəl/;born December 7, 1973), nicknamed "T.O.",is an American formerfootballwide receiverwho played 15 seasons in theNational Football League(NFL). Regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time, Owens ranks third in NFL history in career receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

After playingcollege footballandcollege basketballfor theChattanooga Mocs,Owens was selected in the third round of the1996 NFL draftby theSan Francisco 49ers.Owens was a member of the team for seven seasons until he was traded to thePhiladelphia Eaglesin 2004. Two years later, he signed with theDallas Cowboys,where he spent three seasons. Owens NFL career subsequently concluded after one season each with theBuffalo BillsandCincinnati Bengals.He also played for theAllen Wranglersof theIndoor Football League(IFL) in 2012 and returned to professional football in 2022 withFan Controlled Football(FCF).

A six-timePro Bowland five-time first-teamAll-Proselection, Owens also created a significant amount of controversy during his professional career and attracted attention for his flamboyanttouchdown celebrations.He was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Famein 2018, his third year of eligibility.

Early life

Owens was born to Marilyn Heard and her neighbor L.C. Russell inAlexander City, Alabama.At 10 years old, he discovered his father's identity after liking his daughter, only to learn that she was his sister.He grew up with three other siblings and was raised by his mother and grandmother.He enjoyed watching football, especially his favorite player,Jerry Rice.However, Owens' grandmother initially forbade him from playing sports until high school. Owens attendedBenjamin Russell High School,where he participated infootball,baseball,track,andbasketball.Owens did not start on his high school football team until his junior year, when one of his teammates missed a game due to illness.

College career

While enrolled at theUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanooga,Owens playedbasketball,football, and rantrack.Owens played in the1995 NCAA basketball tournament.He became a starter during his sophomore year. Owens caught 38 passes for 724 yards and eight touchdowns during his sophomore year, and 34 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns during his junior year. Having gained respect in the NCAA, Owens faced double coverage more frequently during his senior year, and was limited to 43 receptions for 667 yards and one touchdown. Owens previously held the single-season receptions record at Chattanooga until it was broken in 2007 by Alonzo Nix. In his senior year, he anchored the school's4 × 100 relayteam at the NCAA championship. He also participated in theSenior Bowl,a college all-star game played by college seniors, in preparation for the NFL Draft.

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	20-yard shuttle	Vertical jump	Broad jump
6 ft2+7⁄8in (1.90 m)	213 lb (97 kg)	34+1⁄2in (0.88 m)	10+1⁄2in (0.27 m)	4.63 s	1.58 s	2.72 s	4.26 s	33 in (0.84 m)	10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
All values fromNFL Combine

San Francisco 49ers

Because he played his college football at UT-Chattanooga, anFCSschool that did not have a winning season during his time there, Owens' visibility to NFL scouts was lessened, and he dropped to the third round of the1996 NFL draft,where theSan Francisco 49ersdrafted him 89th overall.Owens played his first professional game against theNew Orleans Saints,playing on special teams. He caught his first two passes against theCarolina Panthersin Week 4 on September 22, 1996, for a total of six yards.Owens caught his first touchdown on October 20 against theCincinnati Bengals;a 45-yard pass fromSteve Young.He finished his rookie season with 35 receptions for 520 yards and four touchdowns.

After the 49ers' top receiverJerry Ricesuffered atorn ACLearly in the1997 NFL season,Owens took Rice's place in the lineup, beating out former 1st round pickJ.J. Stokesfor the job.He helped the 49ers win 13 games that season, finishing with 936 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.He scored his first postseason touchdown in aDivisional Roundwin over theMinnesota Vikings.

1998 saw Owens eclipse 1,000-yards for the first time in his career, catching 67 passes for 1,097 yards and 14 touchdowns.In the Wildcard playoff game, the 49ers faced theGreen Bay Packerswho had beaten them five straight times, three of them playoff games. Owens struggled, dropping a number of passes. Despite this, Young kept throwing to Owens and he redeemed himself bycatching the game-winning touchdown(immortalized by the impassioned game call of 49ers radio play-by-play announcerJoe Starkey) for a 30–27 comeback victory.

In 1999, Owens's production dropped after injury to Steve Young andJeff Garciawas named the starting quarterback. He finished the season with 60 catches for 754 yards and four touchdowns.

Owens had a record-breaking day on December 17, 2000, with 20 catches for 283 yards in a 17–0 win over theChicago Bears.His 20 receptions surpassed a 50-year-old mark held byTom Fears(it has since been surpassed byBrandon Marshall). Owens finished the year with 97 receptions for 1,451 yards and thirteen touchdowns.

Owens had another strong season in 2001, finishing with 93 receptions for 1,412 yards and 16 touchdowns.

During the 2002 season, Owens had 100 receptions for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns.The 49ers hosted theNew York Giantsin the Wild Card playoff round and after falling behind 38–14, the 49ers scored 25 unanswered points. Owens accounted for two touchdown and caught two 2-point conversions in the 49ers' 39–38 win.The following week, Owens was held to four catches for 35 yards in a 31–6 to the soon-to-be Super Bowl championTampa Bay Buccaneers.

In 2003, Owens finished the season with 80 receptions for 1,102 yards and nine touchdowns.The 49ers finished with a 7–9 record in what would be Owens's final season with the team.

In the summer of 2004, Owens appeared in an interview forPlayboymagazine, where he was asked about long-standing rumors that his former teammate Garcia washomosexual,to which he implied he thought there might be truth to the rumors.

Although Owens was eager to leave the 49ers, the 49ers asserted that Owens' previous agent, David Joseph, had missed the deadline tovoidthe final years of his contract with the team. TheNational Football League Players Associationand Owens disputed this assertion, contending that the deadline referred to by the 49ers was not the applicable deadline. On March 4, 2004, San Francisco, believing it still held Owens' rights, attempted to trade Owens to theBaltimore Ravensfor a second-round pick in the 2004 draft. However, Owens challenged the 49ers' right to make the deal. Owens assumed that he would become a free agent on March 3, and did not believe that the earlier deadline was applicable. Hence, he negotiated with other teams in advance of his expected free agency, and reached a contract agreement with thePhiladelphia Eagles.The NFLPA filed a grievance on his behalf.

Before anarbitratorcould make a ruling on Owens' grievance, the NFL and the three teams involved in the controversy reached a settlement on March 16, 2004. The Ravens got their second-round pick back from San Francisco, and the 49ers in turn received a conditional fifth-round pick and defensive endBrandon Whitingfrom the Eagles in exchange for the rights to Owens. Owens' contract with the Eagles was worth about $49 million for seven years, including a $10 million signing bonus.

Philadelphia Eagles

Owens (81) with theEaglestalking to a coach.

On December 19, 2004, Owens sustained a severely sprained ankle and a fracturedfibulawhenDallas CowboyssafetyRoy Williamstook him down with ahorse-collar tackle;Williams' horse-collars resulted in injuries to several NFL players, and the horse-collar tackle was later prohibited.Owens' injury required surgery, including insertion of a screw into his leg, and Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder stated that he would miss the rest of the season, with only an outside chance of playing in the Super Bowl if the Eagles advanced.

After the Eagles defeated theAtlanta Falconsin theNFC Championship game,Owens defied the advice of his doctors and played inSuper Bowl XXXIX.Owens' trainer, James "Buddy" Primm, helped bring Owens back much sooner with the use ofMicrocurrentand ahyperbaric chamber.Owens started in the game and had nine receptions for 122 yards, but the Eagles lost to theNew England Patriots.After the game, Owens stated that the media would have calledBrett Favre"a warrior" for playing with such an injury, but that "For me, they said I was selfish."

In April 2005, Owens announced that he had hired a new agent,Drew Rosenhaus,and indicated that he would seek to have his contract with the Eagles renegotiated. Owens made $9 million in 2004 (most of which was bonus money, as his base salary was only $660,000),and was slated to make $4.5 million in 2005. This two-year amount did not place Owens in the top ten paid wide receivers playing. He also made a comment that he "wasn't the guy who got tired in the Super Bowl." The remark, directed at quarterbackDonovan McNabb,caused a controversy to heat up between them. On July 1, Owens' relationship with the Eagles became even more tense after Eagles ownerJeffrey Lurieand club presidentJoe Bannerdenied Owens permission to playbasketballin a summer league under the auspices of theNational Basketball Association'sSacramento Kings.

Owens, with the negotiating help of Rosenhaus, continued to lobby for a new contract. Owens and Rosenhaus met with Eagles head coachAndy Reidand president Joe Banner, but no agreement was reached (this was in line with the Eagles' policy against contract renegotiations). Owens threatened to hold out of training camp until a deal was reached, but reported to camp on time. When the 2005 football season began, Owens was in the second year of a seven-year, $49 million contract. However, the contract was heavily back-loaded, and while the $49 million figure was routinely touted by the sports media as an example of Owens' greed,the money guaranteed to him was under the annual average for a top-tier wide receiver.

Owens and McNabb, to their credit, did not appear to allow the off-the-field controversies to affect their play on the field during the first half of the season: through week 7 Owens was McNabb’s receiving target an average of 13.14 times per game (most in the NFL since 1999 when receiver “targets” were first tracked, and a still-current NFL record as of 2023), with Owens second only to Panthers WRSteve Smith Sr.in receiving touchdowns, receptions, and receiving yards at that point in 2005. McNabb was leading the NFL in several passing categories at that point.

However, after a game against the Dallas Cowboys on October 9 in which the Eagles lost, Owens was seen by reporters wearing a throwback jersey of former Cowboys playerMichael Irvinon the team plane.On November 2, Owens was involved in an argument in the training room with team ambassadorHugh Douglas,which led to a fistfight between the two.The argument was reportedly started after Douglas said there were players on the team who were faking injuries.

During anESPNinterview the next day, Owens made several comments that Eagles fans perceived as verbal jabs at McNabb and the team.In this interview, when asked whether he agreed with a comment made by analyst Michael Irvin saying that the Eagles would be undefeated ifBrett Favrewas on the team, Owens replied, "That's a good assessment. I would agree with that." Owens went on to state that if Favre were the Eagles quarterback, "I just feel like we'd be in a better situation." Owens stated on his radio show that his remarks were taken out of context, noting that he had just stated two questions prior that the Eagles' record would also be better had McNabb not been injured.While he did not comment on Owens' slight at the time, McNabb later stated in an interview that "It was definitely a slap in the face to me."

Two days after the interview aired, the Eagles suspended Owens indefinitely for "conduct detrimental to the team".According to Owens' agentDrew Rosenhaus,head coach Andy Reid demanded that Owens make a public apology to McNabb. An apology was drafted by Rosenhaus, but Owens balked at reading a specific apology to McNabb, and crossed that part of the statement out.The apology he read on TV did not address McNabb directly.The following day, Reid announced that Owens' suspension would be increased to four games and that he would be deactivated for the remainder of the season.

On November 8, Owens and Rosenhaus held a news conference at Owens' residence, where he apologized to the fans, the team, and McNabb specifically, and also made an appeal for reinstatement to the team.TheNFL Players Associationfiled a grievance against the Eagles, claiming violation of the sport's collective bargaining agreement, but Owens' suspension and deactivation were upheld by an arbitrator.

On March 14, 2006, thePhiladelphia Eaglesreleased Owens.

Dallas Cowboys

Owens in August 2007

On March 18, 2006, theDallas Cowboyssigned Owens to a 3-year, $25 million deal, including a $5 million signing bonus, with a $5 million first-year salary.

Owens returned to the field during the Cowboys'2006 seasonopener against theJacksonville Jaguars.While the game ended in a Jaguars victory, Owens recorded eight receptions for 80 yards and one touchdown.The following week against the Redskins, Owens broke his finger while blocking, and was forced to leave the game.He had a plate screwed into the finger, and returned to play the team's next game against theTennessee Titans,where he accounted for 88 receiving yards.

The following week, Owens made his highly anticipated return to Philadelphia, where he played against his former teammate, Donovan McNabb. Upon his return, Owens was met by a hail of angry jeers and taunts, including chants of "O.D." throughout the game.Despite pregame talk about a weak Eagles secondary, Owens struggled throughout the game. Owens had three catches for 45 yards, while the Cowboys went on to lose, 38–24.

After the Cowboys defeated theAtlanta Falcons,38–28, owner Jerry Jones revealed that Owens had injured a tendon on the same finger that he had broken earlier in the season. The doctors recommended season-ending surgery, but Owens elected to risk permanent damage to his finger and decided to wait until the end of the season to repair the damage. "There's no question about what he's willing to do for his team", Jones said.

Owens in July 2008

Owens led the league in regular season with 13 touchdown receptions.On March 1, 2007, he underwent surgery twice to repair his right ring finger.

In the 2007 season, Owens and the Cowboys began to live up to their potential. On November 18, Owens set a new career high and tied a franchise record, with four touchdown catches against theWashington Redskins.With his touchdown catch against Green Bay on November 29, Owens became the first player in NFL history with at least one touchdown catch and six receptions in seven straight games. Also with this win, the Cowboys clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season, making this the third time Owens would participate in back-to-back postseasons. Owens was one of the starting wide receivers to represent theNFCin thePro Bowlalong withArizona Cardinalswide receiverLarry Fitzgerald.On January 9, Owens made the All-Pro team along with teammatesJason WittenandDeMarcus Ware.On December 22 in a Week 16 game against theCarolina Panthers,Owens caught his 15th touchdown catch of the season to set a new Cowboys record for touchdown catches in a season. During this game, however, Owens suffered a high ankle sprain after making a catch in the second quarter, which kept him out of the rest of the regular season. Owens was leading the league in receiving yards and was second in receiving touchdowns at the time. He finished the season with 81 receptions, 15 touchdowns, and 1,355 receiving yards, as the team finished 13–3 and clinched the NFC's top seed.

Owens returned for thedivisional playoff gameagainst theGiants,where he caught four passes for 49 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys lost the game, however, 21–17 and Owens broke down crying during the postgame press conference in a now-infamous incident.

In the2008 Pro Bowl,Owens caught seven passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns in an NFC win. Despite his efforts,Minnesota Vikingsrookie running backAdrian Petersonwas named MVP.

In the Cowboys' second game of the season, the lastMonday Night gameatTexas Stadium,Owens passedCris Carterto move to second in touchdowns behind former teammate Jerry Rice.

The Cowboys released Owens on March 4, 2009.Owens later said that Jones had assured him that he would be remaining with the team and that he was blindsided by his release.

Buffalo Bills

On March 8, 2009, theBuffalo Billssigned Owens to a 1-year, $6.5 million contract.Owens had his first catch with the Bills when he had a 27-yard play on a 3rd-and-1 in the 25–24 loss to theNew England PatriotsatGillette Stadium.With that catch, he passed former Bills receiverAndre Reedon the all-time Top 20 career leaders list for pass receptions.Owens debuted with two catches for 45 yards in the game. Owens caught his first touchdown pass with Buffalo in a 33–20 win over theTampa Bay Buccaneerson September 20, 2009.However, the following week, Owens was held without a catch against theNew Orleans Saints,ending a 185-game streak of consecutive games with a catch that was the longest streak among active players at the time.

Owens had his best game with the Bills in a 15–18 loss to theJacksonville Jaguars,with nine receptions for 197 yards and a touchdown.Owens andRyan Fitzpatrickset a Bills record for longest touchdown reception when Fitzpatrick connected with Owens for a 98-yard TD, which also became Owens' longest career touchdown reception. He also became the oldest player to have a touchdown reception of more than 76 yards (35 years, 350 days).Against theAtlanta Falconsin week 16, Owens became the sixth player to reach 1,000 receptions in a career after catching an 8-yard pass fromBrian Brohm.He finished his lone season with Buffalo with 55 catches for 829 yards and 5 receiving touchdowns, and also rushed 6 times for 54 yards and a touchdown.

Cincinnati Bengals

Owens (middle) withChad Ochocincobefore a game against theNew England Patriotsin September 2010.

On July 27, 2010, Owens signed a one-year contract with theCincinnati Bengals.It was reportedly worth $2 million, with another $2 million possible from bonuses.He joinedCarson PalmerandChad Johnson,both of whom lobbied for the Bengals to sign Owens. With the retirement ofIsaac Bruce,Owens spent his last active season in the NFL as the active career leader in receiving yards. He received his customary number, #81, given to him by free-agent acquisition wide receiverAntonio Bryantin exchange for an undisclosed sum of money, some of which went to a charity of Bryant's choice.He was ranked 91st by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2011.

Against theCleveland Brownsin Week4, he had a spectacular game with ten receptions, 222 yards and a touchdown of 78 yards.On December 21, Owens was placed on injured reserve, for the first time in his 15-year career.He still managed to lead all Bengals' receivers (including Ochocinco) with receptions (72), yards (983), and touchdowns (9) for the season.However, the Bengals fell from a 10–6 record the year before Owens joined to a 4–12 record with Owens.The Bengals decided not to re-sign Owens for the 2011 season.

He suffered a tornACLduring the 2011 offseason and underwent surgery in April 2011.According to his agent, he was cleared to play again on October 19.He held a televised workout on October 25, which no NFL teams chose to attend.

Allen Wranglers

On November 2, 2011, theAllen Wranglersof theIndoor Football Leagueannounced they had extended a six-figure contract offer to Owens to play for the Wranglers in the2012 season.On January 18, 2012, Owens announced via Twitter that he had accepted the Wranglers' offer and joined their ownership group, with an official press conference to follow the following week.In his debut for the Wranglers, Owens caught three passes for 53 yards and three touchdowns as the Wranglers defeated theWichita Wild50–30. His statistics were: eight games played; 35 catches; 420 yards; 52.5 yards per game; 12 yards per catch; 45 longest catch; and ten touchdowns.

On May 29, 2012, Owens was released. The Wranglers' co-owners stated Owens was released for showing a lack of effort both on and off the field.

Seattle Seahawks

On August 6, 2012, Owens signed a one-year, $925,000 contract with theSeattle Seahawks.On August 26, 2012, Owens announced on hisTwitteraccount that the Seahawks had released him.

On January 13, 2015, in an interview withSports Illustrated Now,Owens stated that he had not retired and that, after a hiatus, he had trained with numerous NFL players during the2014 NFL seasonand the offseason. He did not state when he planned to return to the NFL.

Flag football

On June 28, 2017, Owens played as team captain for Team Owens in the inaugural game for the newly formedAmerican Flag Football League.

Canadian Football League

On June 19, 2018, theEdmonton Eskimosof theCanadian Football League(CFL) added Owens to their negotiation list.On July 14, Owens activated his 10-day signing window with the Eskimos, requiring the team to offer him a contract in ten days, else he would've become a CFL free agent and be eligible to sign with any of the eight other CFL teams.On July 20, 2018, the Eskimos dropped Owens from their negotiation list.On August 5, 2018, a day after his Hall of Fame induction, Owens worked out for theSaskatchewan Roughriders.

Fan Controlled Football

On March 31, 2022, Owens signed withFan Controlled Football.Though FCF players typically rotate through multiple teams in a season, Owens was expected to be given afranchise tagby theZappers(one of two Zappers franchise players, along with quarterbackJohnny Manziel) committing Owens to that team.On May 11, 2022, Owens was traded to the Knights of Degen in a three-team, four-player trade.

On December 28, 2022, it was announced that Owens was in contact with theDallas Cowboys,as well as other teams, regarding a possible NFL return.However, no deal was reached with Dallas, or any other team.

Personal life

Owens is the father of two daughters and two sons.In September 2011, Owens was sued by Melanie Paige Smith III, the mother of his daughter, for failure to pay child support, but the case was settled prior to trial.Owens insisted that the reason for the missed child support payments was due to his wages decreasing in the NFL and Smith was aware of his circumstances.

His daughter Kylee plays volleyball atPrairie View A&M University.His son, Terique, is a wide receiver for Owens' old team, theSan Francisco 49ers,and was signed by them after previously going undrafted in the2024 NFL draft.

In September 2004, Owens released an autobiography:Catch This! Going Deep with the NFL's Sharpest Weapon,which he co-wrote with bestselling author Stephen Singular.

On a May 8, 2012, episode ofDr. Phil,three of the four mothers to his children accused Owens of either coming up short in his monthly child support payments or not paying at all. Owens said he was paying some $45,000 per month in child support at one time.

Owens is aChristian.He was raised as a Christian by his grandmother and has been baptized.

On October 16, 2023, Owens was hit by a car inCalabasas, California,after being in an argument following a pick-up basketball game. Owens was not injured.

Controversies

Desperate Housewivesskit

On November 15, 2004, Owens, wearing a Philadelphia Eagles uniform, appeared with television actressNicollette Sheridan(of theABCseriesDesperate Housewivesin character asEdie Britt) in an introductory skit which opened that evening'sMonday Night Footballtelecast, in which Owens and the Eagles played theCowboysatTexas Stadium.Some observers (especially then-Indianapolis ColtscoachTony Dungy) condemned the skit as being sexually suggestive because of Sheridan removing a towel, and ABC later apologized for airing it.However, on March 14, 2005, theFederal Communications Commissionruled that the skit did not violate decency standards, because it contained no outright nudity or foul language.

2006 Hydrocodone overdose

Some media outlets in Dallas reported on the morning of September 27, 2006, that Owens had tried to kill himself by intentionally ingesting anoverdoseofhydrocodone,a pain medication.A police report filed on the night of September 26seemed to confirm the attempt, saying that Owens's publicist, Kim Etheredge, found him unresponsive with an empty bottle of pain killers, pried two pills from his mouth, and called9-1-1,after which an ambulance transported him four blocks from hisDeep Ellumcondo toBaylor University Medical Center.

According to the police report, Owens and Etheredge both said he wasdepressed,and Owens answered "yes" when asked whether he had intended to harm himself. Owens' publicist, however, refuted the report, stating that Owens had suffered anallergic reactionto the medication combined with adietary supplement.ESPN reported that about half the police report was blacked out, but included the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose".

Owens left the hospital later on September 27. At a news conference after his release, Owens denied having made asuicide attempt,stating that he expected to join the team for practice the next morning. He stated that he was "not depressed" and was "very happy to be here", and denied that doctors hadpumped his stomach,calling speculation to that effect "definitely untrue".The press conference took place after Owens had run routes and caught passes with the Cowboys at the team's practice facility inValley Ranch.

Afterwards, Owens' publicist stated that she felt the police had taken advantage of Owens. The president of the union representing Dallas police officers subsequently demanded an apology from Owens and his publicist for her comments, which he said damaged the reputations of three patrolmen.On Thursday, September 28, the Dallas Police Department reported the incident to be an "accidental overdose" and ended their investigation.

The pain medication Owens had ingested had been prescribed to him for a broken finger he had suffered in a Week2 victory against the Washington Redskins.Bill Parcellshad noted in a press conference a few days before the incident that the medication Owens had been taking had made him sick, and he had been prescribed a milder pain killer.

Spitting incident

After the December 16, 2006, game against theAtlanta Falcons,Falcons cornerbackDeAngelo Hallstated that Owens spat in his face after a play early in the game. Game officials and reporters were unaware of the incident and Owens was not asked about it until his post-game interview with theNFL Network,when he confirmed it.Owens said, "I got frustrated and I apologize for that. It was a situation where he kept hugging me and getting in my face. He had a lot of words, I didn't. I just wanted to come and prove I'm not a guy to be schemed with." Hall said that he lost all respect for Owens.When made aware that Hall was saying Owens did it deliberately, Owens said that it was an accident that occurred while they were in each other's face, talking trash. Despite no video evidence, the NFL fined Owens $35,000 for the incident.After initially refusing to take a phone call from Owens, Hall was convinced byDeion Sandersto speak with Owens two days after the incident and later stated that they "cleared it all out".

Hall of Fame

Owens was not voted into thePro Football Hall of Famein his first two years of eligibility, despite being statistically ranked near the top of every NFL receiving category.Commentators attributed Owens' exclusion to his issues off the field.

In 2018, Owens was voted into the Hall of Fame.He subsequently caused controversy in his induction by skipping the official celebration in Canton, Ohio, and instead choosing to host his own celebration inMcKenzie Arenaon the campus of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, his alma mater.Owens is the only inductee of the hall to skip his induction and instead host a separate induction ceremony.

Touchdown celebrations

During his playing career, Owens attracted attention for his flamboyant celebrations after scoring touchdowns, some of which resulted in fines from the NFL front office.

Celebrations for San Francisco

• On September 24, 2000, in Dallas, Owens twice sprinted to midfield after scoring touchdowns and stood on theDallas Cowboys' star logo. The second time, CowboyssafetyGeorge Teagueleveled him at midfield, which started a confrontation between the two teams. Teague was ejected from the game, while Owens was suspended for a week by head coachSteve Mariucci.
• During aMonday Night Footballgame against theSeattle Seahawkson October 14, 2002, Owens pulled aSharpiemarker out of his sock to sign the football he caught to score a touchdown, and then gave the ball to hisfinancial adviser,who happened to also be the financial adviser ofShawn Springs,who was covering Owens on the play. He was criticized by Seahawks head coachMike Holmgrenfor the stunt, but was not punished by the 49ers or the NFL. However, in the wake of the highly publicized incident, the league immediately adopted a new rule banning players from carrying "foreign objects" with them on the field.

Celebrations for Philadelphia

• The "Bird Dance", "The Bird", or "Wing Flap" became T.O.'s trademark dance with the Eagles.T.O. did the "Bird Dance" frequently during the 2004 season after a big play or touchdown. His touchdown celebration was mocked byHines Wardin the Eagles' first loss of the season at Pittsburgh. After scoring on a reverse, Ward flexed and began flapping his arms like a bird.
• Owens imitated and mocked the trademark pre-game ritual dance ofBaltimore RavenslinebackerRay Lewisafter scoring atouchdownwhile playing against the Ravens in the 2004 season.

Celebrations for Dallas

• On theThanksgiving Daygame against theTampa Bay Buccaneerson November 23, 2006, Owens, after catching a pass for a touchdown, dropped the ball in an oversizedSalvation ArmyRed Kettle,donating the ball to the Salvation Army.About the touchdown celebration, Owens was quoted as saying, "That was my donation. I hope it's worth as much as the fine."
• On September 16, 2007, Owens mockedBill Belichickafter catching a touchdown against theMiami Dolphins,by hiding behind a field goal post and holding the football to his face in a video camera fashion, as if secretlyspying and filming the game.The Cowboys were penalized 15 yards for "excessive celebration".On September 19, 2007, the league fined Owens $7,500 for the celebration.
• On November 4, 2007, against his former team, thePhiladelphia Eagles,Owens flapped his wings, mimicking the dance he did while with the Eagles. This, coupled with Owens' tumultuous stay with the Eagles and his subsequent tenure with the Cowboys (an Eagles division rival), earned the boos of the crowd. After the game, Owens was quoted as saying, "There's a lot of love in those boos."

Career statistics

Legend
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

NFL regular season

Year	Team	Games		Receiving					Rushing					Fumbles
		GP	GS	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Fum	Lost
1996	SF	16	10	35	520	14.9	46T	4	—	—	—	—	—	1	1
1997	SF	16	15	60	936	15.6	56T	8	—	—	—	—	—	1	0
1998	SF	16	10	67	1,097	16.4	79T	14	4	53	13.3	21	1	1	1
1999	SF	14	14	60	754	12.6	36	4	—	—	—	—	—	1	1
2000	SF	14	13	97	1,451	15.0	69T	13	3	11	3.7	5	0	3	2
2001	SF	16	16	93	1,412	15.4	60T	16	4	21	5.3	12	0	0	0
2002	SF	14	14	100	1,300	13.0	76T	13	7	79	11.3	38	1	0	0
2003	SF	15	15	80	1,102	13.8	75T	9	3	−2	−0.7	3	0	0	0
2004	PHI	14	14	77	1,200	15.6	59T	14	3	−5	−1.7	6	0	2	1
2005	PHI	7	7	47	763	16.2	91T	6	1	2	2.0	2	0	0	0
2006	DAL	16	15	85	1,180	13.9	56T	13	—	—	—	—	—	0	0
2007	DAL	15	15	81	1,355	16.7	52T	15	1	5	5.0	5	0	0	0
2008	DAL	16	16	69	1,052	15.2	75T	10	7	33	4.7	8	0	1	1
2009	BUF	16	16	55	829	15.1	98T	5	6	54	9.0	29	1	1	0
2010	CIN	14	11	72	983	13.7	78T	9	—	—	—	—	—	0	0
Career		219	201	1,078	15,934	14.8	98T	153	39	251	6.4	38	3	11	7

Other leagues

Year	League	Team	GP	Receiving					Rushing					Fumbles
				Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Fum	Lost
2012	IFL	ALN	8	35	420	12.0	45	10	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2022	FCF	ZAP	3	7	93	13.3	26	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Other work

Owens withByron Scottas coaches in a celebrity basketball game in 2016

Owens is depicted in a photographic work by contemporary African-American artistHank Willis ThomasentitledLiberation of T.O.: Ain't no way I'm go'n in back ta'work fa'massa in dat darn field(2004). The work was featured in "Frequency", theStudio Museum in Harlem's 2006 exhibition of emerging artists.

Owens rapped in a single titled "I'm Back", available for download on his website.

Outside of his football career, Owens also appeared in various commercials, television shows, and films. Owens played himself, as a wide receiver wearing #82 for the fictional Miami Sharks, in the 1999 filmAny Given Sunday.In 2003, he appeared in a commercial for theESPY Awardswhere he caught a home run ball fromBarry BondsinMcCovey Cove.Owens appeared in an episode ofPunk'd,starringAshton Kutcher,which is based on his November 19, 2005, suspension.

In August 2008, Owens was featured in the pilot episode of the web series FACETIME, onMy Damn Channel.He andThree 6 Mafiainterview each other in the episode.

He starred in a summer 2009reality showonVH1,dubbedThe T.O. Show;the show followed Owens and his "best friends and publicists" as they re-evaluated Owens' personal life.

Owens appeared in the NBA All-Star celebrity game again in 2009 scoring 17 points including twoalley-oops,to secure his second consecutive MVP award.

In June 2009, Owens starred in ABC'sreincarnationofSuperstars,a sports competition show from the 70s where celebrities are paired with professional athletes. The first episode is rumored to have ended in controversy, as evidenced by a leaked clip of partner supermodelJoanna Krupacalling Owens a "prima donna".

As a one-time rating sweeps week stunt, Owens replacedWKBW-TVsports anchor Jeff Russo for their 6:00p.m. newscast on May 18, 2009.

On May 8, 2012, Owens appeared onDr. Philwith the mothers of three of his children to discuss relationships.

In 2013,NBC Sportsreported that Owens has become amodel.

In 2014, Owens made a cameo appearance in R&B singerFaith Evans' music video "I Deserve It",featuringMissy ElliottandSharaya J.

In 2015 Owens participated inThe Celebrity Apprentice 7,finishing in 12th place.

On September 5, 2017, Owens was announced as one of the celebrities set to compete onseason 25ofDancing with the Stars.He was partnered with professional dancerCheryl Burkeand was the eighth contestant eliminated.

Owens atGreg Newsome's Celebrity Softball Game in 2023

In 2017, Owens competed on the special for theMTVreality seriesThe ChallengetitledChamps vs. Stars.

In May 2018, it was announced that Owens would be featured on the cover of the "Hall of Fame" edition ofMadden NFL 19.

An avidbowler,Owens has twice wonChris Paul's CP3PBACelebrity Invitational, an annual televised event in which celebrities andPBA Tourprofessionals team up to benefit the Chris Paul Family Foundation. Owens won in 2016 withPete Weber,and again in 2021 withAJ Johnson.Owens has also won the Celebrity Clash at this event twice, in 2018 and 2021.

The T.O. Show

In the summer of 2009, VH1 premieredThe T.O. Show,which followed Owens in his personal life off the football field. The show was renewed for two additional seasons.

Time Out with T.O.

In September 2013, Owens launched a podcast on the Sideshow Network with co-hosts comedianAlonzo Boddenand former-Survivorcontestant and podcast host,Rob Cesternino.Shows are released each Wednesday and the discussion centers on the week's NFL games and news. ComedianRoy Wood, Jr.has been a regular guest.

Guests have been from both the sports and the entertainment worlds. Some of them were:Ron Artest,Ray J,comic Sam Tripoli, and writer Caleb Bacon.

See also

• T.O.'s Honey Toasted Oats,Honey Nut Toasted Oats breakfast cereal named after Owens.

External links

• Career statistics and player information fromNFL.com·ESPN·Yahoo! Sports·Pro Football Reference
• Official website
• Chattanooga Mocs bio
• Terrell OwensatIMDb
• Time Out with T.O. (Podcast)