The world won’t get one more televised Terrell Owens rant, at least not this year.
Terrell Owens snubbed by Hall of Fame again
As memorable for his off-field antics as his on-field performance, Owens was a game-changing receiver. It wasn’t enough for a Hall of Fame nod this year.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
The outspoken wide receiver would have had the chance to address NFL fans one last time upon accepting his spot in the Hall of Fame this August, but was not selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Owens broke the news himself on Twitter:
Owens capped off a storied 15-year career with the Bengals in the 2010 season, then attempted to make a comeback with the Seahawks two years later, only to be released in the preseason. That muddied an otherwise stellar NFL run that left him eighth in league history with 1,078 receptions and second in receiving yards with 15,934.
But his exploits after the whistle became just as notable as his work with the ball. His Wikipedia page features an 1,100-word entry centered on his touchdown celebrations. The most memorable image of Owens may not be with a football in his hands, but doing crunches in his driveway or crying while talking about his admiration for Tony Romo.
That overshadows some tremendous accomplishments in his career. He had nine 1,000+ yard receiving seasons, including a 1,451-yard effort with San Franscisco that led the league. He also had more touchdowns than any other NFL wideout in three different seasons. His 153 total scores are third all-time among wide receivers.
Owens broke into the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers after a potential-laden college career at Tennessee-Chattanooga. His career started slowly, but Jerry Rice’s torn ACL pressed him into a bigger role in his second season with the team. By 2000, he was a constant presence on the league’s honor roll, earning first-team All-Pro nods in four of five seasons between 2000 and 2004.
He left the West Coast for Philadelphia in 2003 after joining the Eagles in free agency. He courageously returned early from a broken leg to play in Super Bowl XXXIX and posted nine catches and 122 yards in defeat. However, he was never shy in his criticism of the team and quarterback Donovan McNabb and wound up suspended and eventually released for his inability to play nice.
That led him to Dallas, a franchise he had famously infuriated by celebrating on the team’s midfield logo while a member of the 49ers. He averaged nearly 1,200 receiving yards per year in three seasons with the Cowboys. However, he also made headlines for overdosing on Hydrocodone and spitting in Falcons’ cornerback DeAngelo Hall’s face, eventually leading to his dismissal from the team.
Solid performances with the Bills and Bengals followed, but Owens was unable to live up to the early performances that made his personality a worthwhile endeavor for professional franchises. Though he tried a handful of comeback attempts, he made his last NFL reception for a 4-12 Cincinnati team on December 12, 2010.
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