Written by: Andrew Wittry
To use a famous Terrell Owens quote, “Get your popcorn ready,” because it is
only a matter of time until T.O. will be inducted into the Pro Football
Hall of Fame. Who knows, maybe he’ll do sit-ups while giving his acceptance
speech.
Outside of winning a Super Bowl, Terrell Owens has done it all as a wide
receiver. In terms of career statistics, he ranks close to or ahead of
all-time great receivers such as Jerry Rice, Chris Carter, Tim Brown, and
Randy Moss. T.O. is second in all-time receiving yards, fourth in total
touchdowns (second among wide receivers), and sixth in career receptions.
After fifteen seasons in the NFL, in which he played for the San Francisco
49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, and Cincinnati
Bengals, he accumulated 1,078 receptions, 15,934 receiving yards, and 156
total touchdowns (153 receiving). Owens was named to six Pro Bowls, five
All-Pro teams, and played in the Super Bowl during the 2004 season.
T.O. has first-ballot Hall of Famer talent but since the voting process can
be very political, his touchdown celebrations and off-the-field
controversies may negatively impact his chances of being a first-ballot
selection. Owens was an exceptional talent at wide receiver–arguably in the
top five to seven players at the position in the history of the NFL. Of
that elite group of wide receivers, Rice was the only one who was a
first-ballot Hall of Famer as Carter, Brown, and Andre Reed were not voted
in this spring, but will most likely be enshrined in Canton, Ohio within a
year or two. Jerry Rice will forever go down in NFL history as the greatest
wide receiver to play the game because of his untouchable statistical
accomplishments, three Super Bowl rings, and thirteen Pro Bowl selections.
While Terrell Owens cannot match Rice’s playoff success, his receiving
numbers are at the top of the all-time charts, occasionally second to only
Rice.
Owens’ play on the football field may be overshadowed by the rest of the
package that came with T.O. Despite his nine reception, one-hundred and
twenty-two receiving yard performance in Super Bowl XXXIX, he is most
remembered for calling out Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb for “getting
tired at the end of the game.” Then there was his hydrocodone overdose
incident in Dallas in which he allegedly attempted suicide and had to go to
the hospital in an ambulance to receive treatment. Later in that same year,
Owens spit in the face of Atlanta Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall and
later apologized for his actions.
Terrell Owens eventually landed his own reality show, “The T.O. Show.” The
show aired for three seasons and followed the life of the wide receiver and
two of his close female friends. During his time in Cincinnati, he and
fellow wide receiver Chad Ochocinco teamed up to create a show called the
“T.Ocho Show,” which turned out to be a major flop.
Sadly for T.O., his great playing career ended with a whimper. With no more
NFL teams interested in him after his one season with the Bengals, he was
forced to play for the Indoor Football League’s Allen Wranglers in order to
continue his professional football career. He was released midway through
the season even though he was reportedly part of the team’s ownership group.
What makes many wide receivers in the NFL so great is their desire to
succeed. However, this can come back to haunt them when it become
selfishness and they begin the wear the hat of a celebrity or a diva
instead of an NFL player. Sadly, Terrell Owens’ highly successful playing
days often take a back seat to the conflicts he started with teammates
throughout his career, his failed reality television shows, and having all
32 NFL reject him in 2011. Had T.O. been a more team-oriented player, the
Philadelphia Eagles may have defeated the New England Patriots in Super
Bowl XXXIX and he could have added team successes to his resumé that is
filled with individual glory. Jerry Rice is one of the greatest football
players the NFL has ever seen because he used his skill at wide receiver to
help the San Francisco 49ers win Super Bowls. If T.O. could have won at
least one Super Bowl, he too could have been a realistic candidate for a
first-ballot Hall of Famer.
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