Terrell Owens: Career retrospective

Terrell Owens: Career retrospective

Hall of Famer Terrell Owens was the definition of a star receiver. He scored touchdowns, made big plays in big moments, and was just as entertaining on the field as he was off it. Let’s take a look at T.O’s one-of-a-kind career.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice, who would become his teammate. Owens wasn’t allowed to play sports until he was in high school. His family wouldn’t let him. When he got involved in athletics, he displayed his talents at Benjamin Russell High School. You might be surprised that Owens didn’t start until his junior year. But Owens eventually merited the attention of several college football programs.

The Catch II . The name pays homage to Joe Montana’s game-winning touchdown pass to Dwight Clark in the 1981 NFC Championship Game. The game-winning play would also be the birth of a superstar: T.O.

Dallas Cowboys. 

At what was then Dallas Stadium, Owens scored a touchdown and proceeded to celebrate by standing on the Cowboys’ logo at midfield and looking up at the sky. Later, Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith replied with a touchdown of his own. Feeling disrespected by Owens in his own house, he slammed the ball on the Dallas Star. Then, Owens scored another touchdown, ran to the same spot, and celebrated again. Things got ugly. Cowboys safety George Teague laid him out. The game turned into must-watch TV and stamped Owens as one of the most controversial players in football. Owens finished the day with five catches, 51 yards, and two touchdowns. He was suspended for one game, thanks to his actions.

shattered the record books . They were the most receptions in one game, breaking Tom Fears’ record since 1950. Brandon Marshall has since broken Owens’ record in 2009.

Jeff Garcia, told the team he was always open, possessed an unmatched will to win, and wanted to be the highest-paid receiver in football. He also developed a reputation as a locker room cancer. The touchdown celebrations and off-field drama were part of the T.O. experience. If you wanted him on your football team, the side antics were something you had to deal with. After firing Steve Mariucci in 2002, the 49ers went 7-9 in 2003 and missed the playoffs. It was the last straw for T.O., who would test the free-agent waters in the offseason.

Owens caught 592 receptions for 8,572 yards and 81 touchdowns over his eight years in San Fran.

Tony Romo’s performance.  Owens tearfully defended his quarterback. This showed a different side of Owens. While we are used to seeing Owens criticize his QBs, he went out of his way to defend Romo, calling the game a team loss.

Buffalo Bills. In his lone year in snowy Buffalo, he put up good numbers, but they weren’t what we were used to seeing out of the All-Pro talent. Regardless, T.O. was still T.O. His best moment with the Bills was  a 98-yard touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a late-November matchup. 

Chad Ochocinco. The Bengals went 10-6 in 2009 and were looking to improve with their new weapon on the outside. The Bengals won four games in T.O.’s only year with the team. Owens led the team in receiving with 72 catches, 983 yards, and nine touchdowns.

Refusing to give up on the game, Owens participated in the Seattle Seahawks training camp in 2012. He didn’t make the team. Owens hasn’t received any NFL offers since.

signed the ball, and gave it to a fan in the crowd. He donated a football to the Salvation Army by dropping it into the Red Kettle on Thanksgiving Day. 

During his time with the Eagles, he often did the Bird Dance. He also mocked the Ray Lewis dance against the Baltimore Ravens. 

His mime celebration after scoring his 150th touchdown was a prime example of his end-zone creativity. Maybe his most famous celebration was the “get your popcorn ready” celebration. He often flexed his muscles, did sit-ups, or spiked the ball. Either way, seeing what Owens would do next was always fun.

by scoring touchdowns on guys half his age. He even caught passes from former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. 

Fun fact: Owens never officially retired from the NFL. He always wanted to make a comeback. But no team has offered him a contract since 2012. Owens expressed interest in playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020. The Bucs weren’t interested. To this day, Owens looks like he can still haul in touchdowns. The dude is jacked.

David J. Hunt is a freelance writer based out of Philadelphia. He ran cross country at Penn State, became a volunteer firefighter during COVID-19, and is a self taught journalist. He’s a diehard Philly sports fan. When he isn’t watching sports, he enjoys working out, fishing, and traveling. You can find more of his writing at The Chestnut Hill Local and The Temple News. You can follow him on Twitter at @dave_hunt44.

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