Terrell Owens: From Chattanooga Moc to NFL Hall of Famer
Terrell Eldorado Owens, widely known as T.O., carved a remarkable path in American football, ascending from a small-town upbringing to the pinnacle of the sport. His journey, however, was not without controversy. Owens' college football career at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) laid the foundation for his future success in the National Football League (NFL), where he played for 15 seasons and became one of the most prolific wide receivers in history.
Early Life and High School Years
Born on December 7, 1973, in Alexander City, Alabama, Terrell Owens grew up with three siblings and was raised by his mother and grandmother. As a child, he idolized Jerry Rice and enjoyed watching football. However, his grandmother initially forbade him from playing sports until high school. Owens' high school coach, Steve Savarese, recognized his potential and challenged him to put more effort into football. This challenge motivated Owens to work harder, leading to significant improvements in his physique and skills.
College Career at UT Chattanooga
While enrolled at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Owens showcased his athletic versatility by participating in basketball, football, and track. During his time at Chattanooga, Owens also competed in basketball and track and field, excelling as a true multi-sport athlete. He even played in the 1995 NCAA basketball tournament.
Football Stats and Achievements
Owens' football career at UTC saw him amass 144 career receptions for 2,230 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns. He became a starter during his sophomore year, catching 38 passes for 724 yards and eight touchdowns. In his junior year, he recorded 34 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns. During his senior year, he was limited to 43 receptions for 667 yards and one touchdown due to increased double coverage from opposing teams. 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's 4 × 100 relay team at the NCAA championship. He remains second in UTC history for catches and receiving yards.
Overcoming Limited Visibility
Because he played his college football at UT-Chattanooga, an FCS school that did not have a winning season during his time there, Owens' visibility to NFL scouts was low. Despite his talent, Owens' visibility to NFL scouts was limited due to playing for an FCS school that did not have a winning season during his time there. As a result, he dropped to the third round of the 1996 NFL draft, where the San Francisco 49ers chose him 89th overall.
Read also: Discover Leo Terrell's journey
NFL Career
Owens' NFL career spanned 15 seasons, during which he played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, and Cincinnati Bengals. He is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and a five-time first-team All-Pro selection. Owens holds or shares several NFL records. His 15,934 career receiving yards ranks third in NFL history, his 153 receiving touchdowns ranks third, and he is eighth in career receptions. A five-time NFL All-Pro Selection, he had five seasons where he had 13 or more touchdowns. He played in Super XXXIX with the Eagles. When he retired he was second all-time in career touchdowns. He played 16 seasons in the NFL.
San Francisco 49ers (1996-2003)
Owens was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers[1] in the 3rd Round of the 1996 NFL Draft. This united Owens with Jerry Rice. Owens made his professional debut against the New Orleans Saints, playing on special teams. After the 49ers' top receiver Jerry Rice suffered a torn ACL early in the 1997 NFL season, Owens took Rice's place in the lineup, beating out former 1st round pick J. J. Stokes. 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 the Green Bay Packers, who had beaten them five straight times, three of them playoff games. Owens struggled, dropping a number of passes. In 1999, Owens' production dropped after Jeff Garcia replaced the injured Steve Young as starting quarterback. Owens had a record-breaking day on December 17, 2000, with 20 catches for 283 yards in a 17-0 win over the Chicago Bears. His 20 receptions surpassed a 50-year-old mark held by Tom Fears (which has since been surpassed by Brandon Marshall). During the 2002 season, Owens had 100 receptions for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns. The 49ers hosted the New York Giants in the Wild Card playoff round and after falling behind 38-14, the 49ers scored 25 unanswered points.
Philadelphia Eagles (2004-2005)
Although Owens was eager to leave the 49ers, the 49ers asserted that Owens' previous agent, David Joseph, had missed the deadline to void the final years of his contract with the team. The National Football League Players Association and 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 the Baltimore Ravens for 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 the Philadelphia Eagles. Before an arbitrator could 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 end Brandon Whiting from the Eagles in exchange for the rights to Owens. After the Eagles defeated the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game, Owens defied the advice of his doctors and played in Super Bowl XXXIX. Owens' trainer, James "Buddy" Primm, helped bring Owens back much sooner with the use of microcurrent and a hyperbaric chamber. Owens started in the game and had nine receptions for 122 yards, but the Eagles lost to the New England Patriots. 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 quarterback Donovan McNabb, caused a controversy to heat up between them. Owens, with the negotiating help of Rosenhaus, continued to lobby for a new contract. Owens and Rosenhaus met with Eagles head coach Andy Reid and 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. 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 WR Steve Smith Sr. in receiving touchdowns, receptions, and receiving yards at that point in 2005. During an interview with college student journalist Graham Bensinger 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 if Brett Favre was on the team, Owens replied, "That's a good assessment. Two days after the interview aired, the Eagles suspended Owens indefinitely for "conduct detrimental to the team". According to Owens' agent Drew Rosenhaus, head coach Andy Reid demanded that Owens make a public apology to McNabb.
Dallas Cowboys (2006-2008)
Owens returned to the field during the Cowboys' 2006 season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. 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. After the Cowboys defeated the Atlanta 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. 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 the Washington 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 the NFC in the Pro Bowl along with Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. On January 9, Owens made the All-Pro team along with teammates Jason Witten and DeMarcus Ware. On December 22 in a Week 16 game against the Carolina 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. Owens returned for the divisional playoff game against the Giants, where he caught four passes for 49 yards and a touchdown. In the 2008 Pro Bowl, Owens caught seven passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns in an NFC win.
Buffalo Bills (2009)
On March 8, 2009, the Buffalo Bills signed 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 the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. With that catch, he passed former Bills receiver Andre Reed on the all-time Top 20 career leaders list for pass receptions. Owens debuted with two catches for 45 yards in the game. Owens had his best game with the Bills in a 15-18 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, with nine receptions for 197 yards and a touchdown. Owens and Ryan Fitzpatrick set a Bills record for longest touchdown reception when Fitzpatrick connected with Owens for a 98-yard touchdown, which also became Owens' longest career touchdown reception.
Read also: Jesse Owens: Beyond the Track
Cincinnati Bengals (2010)
On July 27, 2010, Owens signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. It was reportedly worth $2 million, with another $2 million possible from bonuses. He joined Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson, both of whom lobbied for the Bengals to sign Owens. With the retirement of Isaac Bruce, Owens spent his last active season in the NFL as the active career leader in receiving yards.
Later Career
On May 29, 2012, Owens was released. On January 13, 2015, in an interview with Sports Illustrated Now, Owens stated that he had not retired and that, after a hiatus, he had trained with numerous NFL players during the 2014 NFL season and the offseason. On March 31, 2022, Owens signed with Fan Controlled Football.
Controversies and Celebrations
Owens' career was marked by both spectacular plays and controversial incidents. He attracted attention for his flamboyant touchdown celebrations, some of which drew criticism from opponents and the league. Owens was known for his trash-talking, over-the top touchdown celebrations (often more to rub it in on the opponent than to fire his own team up), and off-field drama, where he has help several shirtless workouts, hosts a reality show (The T.O. Show), and has modeled for clothing companies. Despite all the attention he got, Owens has never won a Super Bowl. Owens is the only player to have scored on all 32 teams in the league.
Incidents and Fines
On September 24, 2000, in Dallas, Owens twice sprinted to midfield after scoring touchdowns and stood on the Dallas Cowboys' star logo. The second time, Cowboys safety George Teague leveled 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 coach Steve Mariucci. During a Monday Night Football game against the Seattle Seahawks on October 14, 2002, Owens pulled a Sharpie marker out of his sock to sign the football he caught to score a touchdown, and then gave the ball to his financial adviser, who also happened to be the financial adviser of Shawn Springs, who was covering Owens on the play. He was criticized by Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren for the stunt, but was not punished by the 49ers or the NFL. After the December 16, 2006, game against the Atlanta Falcons, Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall stated 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 the NFL Network, when he confirmed it.
Touchdown Celebrations
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 by Hines Ward in the Eagles' first loss of the season at Pittsburgh. On the Thanksgiving Day game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 23, 2006, Owens, after catching a pass for a touchdown, dropped the ball in an oversized Salvation Army Red Kettle, donating the ball to the Salvation Army.
Read also: More on Jonathan Owens
Personal Life and Off-Field Issues
In September 2004, Owens released an autobiography: Catch This! On a May 8, 2012, episode of Dr. 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 is a Christian. On October 16, 2023, Owens was hit by a car in Calabasas, California, after being in an argument following a pick-up basketball game. On November 15, 2004, Owens, wearing a Philadelphia Eagles uniform, appeared with television actress Nicollette Sheridan (of the ABC series Desperate Housewives in character as Edie Britt) in an introductory skit which opened that evening's Monday Night Football telecast, in which Owens and the Eagles played the Cowboys at Texas Stadium. According to the police report, Owens and Etheredge both said he was depressed, and Owens answered "yes" when asked whether he had intended to harm himself. Owens' publicist, however, refuted the report, stating that Owens had suffered an allergic reaction to the medication combined with a dietary supplement. Owens left the hospital later on September 27. At a news conference after his release, Owens denied having made a suicide attempt, stating that he expected to join the team for practice the next morning. Afterwards, Owens' publicist stated that she felt the police had taken advantage of Owens. The pain medication Owens had ingested had been prescribed to him for a broken finger he had suffered in a Week 2 victory against the Washington Redskins.
Hall of Fame Induction
In February 2018, Owens was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Alexander City, Alabama native, however, opted not to attend his enshrinement ceremony in Carlton, Ohio. Instead, Owens celebrated his induction at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Owens’ loyalty to UTC cannot be questioned. He is a proud Moc through and through after having attended the university between 1992 and 1995.
Choosing Chattanooga Over Canton
Many questioned Owens’ motive for choosing to break ranks with the NFL hierarchy and host his own gig. But those who’ve known him from his earliest days supported the decision. Larry Morris, who has practiced law for 50 years in Owens’ hometown of Alexander City, had no issues with T.O.’s decision.
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