Terrell Owens came in wearing a suit spotted with the Pro Football Hall of Fame logo and swapped that out for the prized gold jacket.
And yes, the man known as T.O. later brought out a big bucket of popcorn.
Former All Pro NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens delivered an emotional, 40-minute speech at his former college, the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and he reiterated why he skipped this weekend’s Hall of Fame ceremonies and acknowledged Jerry Rice, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant as athletic inspirations.
Owens used part of a speech lasting about 39 minutes to explain why he was in Chattanooga instead of Canton, addressing the “elephant in the room.”
“It’s not because of how many times it took for me to be voted to the hall,” said Owens, who got in on his third try — the same as Joe Namath, for example. “It’s about the mere fact that the sports writers are not in alignment with the mission and core values of the Hall of Fame.
“These writers disregarded the system, the criteria and bylaws in which guys are inducted, and ultimately the true meaning of the Hall of Fame and what it represents. I wanted to take a stand so the next guy coming after me will not have to go through what I and others have gone through. Whether it’s three years or 45 years, you should get what you rightfully earned.”
Owens discussed his issue, at length, with the current selection process at a news conference that lasted 26 minutes, saying writers never played the game, with no “blood, sweat and tears” invested.
Only one person makes a speech in Canton to introduce an inductee. By holding his own ceremony, Owens heard short speeches from five coaches, including three former position coaches, with James Kirksey and Ray Sherman from the NFL. The university named a street after the Hall of Fame receiver.
A friend of Ray Lewis was at Friday night’s gold jacket ceremony and brought it to Chattanooga for T.O. The original plan had been to mail it on Saturday to him.
Owens acknowledged the fellow members of the 2018 Hall of Fame class, who were inducted in Canton on Saturday night.
“To my fellow Hall of Fame members — Bob Bethard, Robert Brazille, Brian Dawkins, Jerry Kramer, Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher and ‘The Freak’ Randy Moss — I want to say congratulations to you guys,” Owens said. “I have already reached out to you guys individually, and I expressed, and I will express it again, my utmost respect for each of you and for what we have accomplished. We are eight of 318 of the greatest players to ever play the game, and that’s truly amazing.”
Owens told the media after his speech that the Hall of Fame wasn’t going to give him his yellow jacket ahead of time at first unless he was there. They were going to mail it to him Saturday. His true friend, who he referred to as Dee Brown, who also is friends with Ray Lewis, brought it from Canton.
“I wasn’t really too pleased about it,” Owens said of the Hall of Fame’s initial reaction regarding the jacket. “But we made it work.”
Owens, using the common theme “this is for you” while thanking his supporters, addressed around 3,000 family members, friends and fans inside McKenzie Arena. The crowd included Owens’ mother, former San Francisco 49ers teammates Derrick Deese and Marquez Pope, former Cincinnati Bengals teammate Kyries Hebert, and two of his former NFL position coaches, Ray Sherman and Larry Kirksey.
Owens thanked everyone from his late grandmother and mother to coaches from his high school days in Alexander City, Alabama, through his time at Chattanooga and into the NFL. At times, he was grateful for help received along the way, cited a Bible verse from Deuteronomy, and even thanked people who “defamed” him behind his back and teammates who hated him.
“And when they ostracized me and tried to keep me from what I rightfully earned not once but twice, I remember the text,” Owens said, referring to his mother. “You texted me and said, ‘You ain’t got to worry about nothing. You were always a Hall of Famer to me.’ But Momma, you are the real Hall of Famer.”
Owens said he’d like to start a conversation for change with the Hall of Fame voting process.
“This is for you,” Owens said.
“We have more commonalities than differences. This entire speech you thought was about me, this was for you,” Owens said.
None of his former NFL teammates could be seen in the crowd. Johnny Taylor, the 17th pick overall in the 1997 NBA draft by Orlando, flew in to see his former teammate inducted into the hall. He understands that some people were surprised by Owens’ decision.
“He’s always going to do it his way and what’s beneficial to him and his family,” Taylor said. “Me personally, I’m excited that he is doing it here. It means so much to the city, it means so much to the university. It speaks volumes to the type of person that he is, even though other people may think other of him.”
Fans wore Owens’ No. 81 jersey from his stints in Dallas, San Francisco and Philadelphia. Renee Davis of Philadelphia canceled tickets she bought to see Owens inducted in Canton and arrived in Chattanooga on Friday to see the receiver she called the best ever give his speech. She wore Owens’ No. 80 from his college days, bought when he was an NFL rookie.
Missing the Hall of Fame’s other seven inductees and all the pageantry of Canton was no loss for Davis.
“Can’t compare to being here with my favorite,” Davis said. “Can’t compare.”
MORE ON THE TERRELL ELDORADO OWENS,
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Owens played college football and basketball at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and was selected in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Owens was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004. Two years later, he was released and signed to another large contract by the Dallas Cowboys, and played for the that team until March 4, 2009. Owens also played for the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals in 2009 and 2010, respectively. He played for the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League in 2012.
While he was one of the best players of his era, Owens also created a significant amount of attention for his flamboyant touchdown celebrations.
Owens was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2018 class.
6-Time NFL Pro-Bowl player, actor, humanitarian, loving father, fitness expert, model and motivational speaker, Terrell Owens is a man on a mission. With 1078 Receptions, 15,934 yards, and 153 touchdowns during the span of his 15-year career, his extraordinary skills on the gridiron and elite athleticism raised the bar for Wide Receivers in the league. Owens is credited with being one of the most exciting and electrifying players to ever play the game.
Terrell Eldorado Owens was born in Alexander City, Alabama on December 7, 1973 where he attended Benjamin Russell High School. There he excelled in several sports including football, basketball, baseball and track.
After being recruited by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) football program, Owens made a name for himself as an explosive receiver, earning first team All-Southern Conference honors and setting a school record for catching a pass in 11 consecutive games.
In 2004, Owens joined the Philadelphia Eagles. His presence made an immediate impact on the team. He averaged one touchdown per game, helping the Eagles to win 13 of its first 14 games, paving the way to Super Bowl XXXIX. Despite a late season injury that doctors had projected would take weeks to heal, Owens started the game and had nine receptions and 122 yards in a disappointing loss to the New England Patriots.
Owens has garnered countless awards and accolades for his work, on and off the field, including, six Pro Bowl appearances, 5-time Associated Press All-Pro, recorded five seasons with 13 or more touchdowns, and the first to score a touchdown in seven straight “Monday Night Football” games. On September 15, 2008, in yet another remarkable Monday Night Game, Owens moved into second place on the NFL’s all-time career touchdown list.
Owens is also a respected and best-selling author, penning a children’s book, “Little T Learns To Share” and a fitness book “T.O.’s Finding Fitness”. Owens’ latest endeavor, the “What TO Do” Global Campaign is an initiative aimed at empowering and motivating youth around the world through speaking, workshops and with the launch an inspirational clothing line for men, women and children.
Owens most recent accomplishments include being featured on the cover of the Official EA Madden NFL “Hall of Fame” video game. In April of 2018 Owens was officially inducted to the Alabama Hall of Fame and the NFL Hall of Fame.
NFL records and career notables
Professional statistics
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | GS | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD | ||
| 1996 | SF | 16 | 10 | 35 | 520 | 14.9 | 46T | 4 |
| 1997 | SF | 16 | 15 | 60 | 936 | 15.6 | 56T | 8 |
| 1998 | SF | 16 | 10 | 67 | 1,097 | 16.4 | 79T | 14 |
| 1999 | SF | 14 | 14 | 60 | 754 | 12.6 | 36 | 4 |
| 2000 | SF | 14 | 13 | 97 | 1,451 | 15.0 | 69T | 13 |
| 2001 | SF | 16 | 16 | 93 | 1,412 | 15.4 | 60T | 16 |
| 2002 | SF | 14 | 14 | 100 | 1,300 | 13.0 | 76T | 13 |
| 2003 | SF | 15 | 15 | 80 | 1,102 | 13.8 | 75T | 9 |
| 2004 | PHI | 14 | 14 | 77 | 1,200 | 15.6 | 59T | 14 |
| 2005 | PHI | 7 | 7 | 47 | 763 | 16.2 | 91T | 6 |
| 2006 | DAL | 16 | 15 | 85 | 1,180 | 13.9 | 56T | 13 |
| 2007 | DAL | 15 | 15 | 81 | 1,355 | 16.7 | 52T | 15 |
| 2008 | DAL | 16 | 16 | 69 | 1,052 | 15.2 | 75T | 10 |
| 2009 | BUF | 16 | 16 | 55 | 829 | 15.1 | 98T | 5 |
| 2010 | CIN | 14 | 11 | 72 | 983 | 13.7 | 78T | 9 |
| Career | 219 | 201 | 1,078 | 15,934 | 14.8 | 98T | 153 | |
- Only player in NFL history to score a TD against all 32 NFL teams NFL records
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- Only player in NFL history to score two or more touchdowns against all 32 NFL teams
- Only player in NFL history to have an 800-yard receiving season with 5 different teams (Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers)
- Only player in NFL history to have a 150-yard receiving game with 5 different teams (Bengals, Bills, Cowboys, Eagles, 49ers)
- Only player in NFL history to have a 200-yard receiving game with 3 different teams (Bengals, Cowboys, 49ers)
- Oldest player to accumulate 200 combined yards/receiving yards/yards from scrimmage in a single game (36 years, 300 days)
- Consecutive seasons with at least 6 touchdowns, 2000–2010 (11) – tied with Marvin Harrison 1996–2006, Jerry Rice 1986–1996, Don Hutson 1935–1945
- Consecutive seasons with at least 5 touchdown receptions, 2000–2010 (11) – tied with Marvin Harrison 1996–2006, Cris Carter 1991–2001, Tim Brown 1991–2001, Rice 1986–1996, Don Hutson 1935–1945
- Consecutive seasons with at least 5 touchdowns, 2000–2010 (11) – tied with Frank Gore 2006-2016, Marvin Harrison 1996–2006, Cris Carter 1991–2001, Tim Brown 1991–2001, Rice 1986–1996, Don Hutson 1935–1945
- Consecutive seasons with at least 4 touchdown receptions, 1996–2010 (15)
- Consecutive seasons with at least 4 touchdowns, 1996–2010 (15)
- Consecutive seasons with at least 3 touchdown receptions, 1996–2010 (15)
- Consecutive seasons with at least 3 touchdowns, 1996–2010 (15)
- Consecutive seasons with at least 700 receiving yards/yards from scrimmage/combined yards 1996–2010 (15) – tied with Tony Gonzalez, 1999-2013
- One of seven players to have at least 2 receptions of 90+ yards (John Taylor, Mike Quick, Gaynell Tinsley, Steve Watson, Willard Dewveall, and Mike Wallace)
- One of 12 players to have at least 2 offensive TDs of 90+ yards
- 49ers franchise records
-
- Most receptions in a single game: 20 (12/17/00 vs Chicago Bears) (Week 15)
- Most receiving yards on a Sunday game: 283 (12/17/00 vs Bears) (Week 15)
- Eagles franchise records
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- Most receiving touchdowns in a single season: 14 (2004)
- Most receiving yards per game, season: 109.0 (2005) 763 in 7 games.
- Cowboys franchise records
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- Most consecutive games with a receiving touchdown: 7 (2007). Record shared with Franklin Clarke (1961–1962), Bob Hayes (1965–1966) and Dez Bryant(2012)
- Most touchdown receptions in a single game: 4 (11/18/07 vs Washington Redskins). Record shared with Bob Hayes (12/20/70)
- Most receiving yards per game, career: 76.3 (2006–2008)
- Bills franchise records
-
- Longest reception: 98 yard TD (11/22/09 vs Jacksonville Jaguars) (Week 11)
- Longest play from scrimmage: 98 yard TD reception (11/22/09 vs Jaguars) (Week 11)
- Bengals franchise records
-
- Most combined yards/receiving yards/yards from scrimmage in a single game by a player over age 30: 222 (10/3/10 vs Cleveland Browns) (Week 4)
- Career milestones
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- 5th player to reach 150 touchdowns
- 6th player to reach 1,000 career receptions, 6th player to reach 100 touchdown receptions, 6th player to reach 14,000 receiving yards
- 3rd player to reach 150 touchdown receptions, 3rd player to reach 15,000 receiving yards
- Through 15 seasons, has 156 total touchdowns (153 receiving), 15,934 receiving yards, 1,078 receptions, 39 rushing attempts, 251 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 5 kickoff returns, 23 kickoff return yards, 2 fumble recoveries, 13 fumble return yards, and 3 two-point conversions
- Averaged one touchdown per game in 2001, 2004, and 2007
- Has had nine 1,000 yard seasons, including five consecutive (2000–2004)
- Reached 100 catches in only 14 games in 2002
- Led League in receiving touchdowns in 2001, 2002, and 2006
- Third all-time in regular season receiving touchdowns behind Jerry Rice and Randy Moss
- Second all-time in regular season receiving yards behind Rice.
- Eighth all-time in regular season receptions behind Rice, Tony Gonzalez, Marvin Harrison, Cris Carter, Tim Brown, Larry Fitzgerald, and Jason Witten
Other work
Owens is depicted in a photographic work by contemporary African-American artist Hank Willis Thomas entitled Liberation 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”, the Studio Museum in Harlem‘s 2006 exhibition of emerging artists.
