Terrell Owens facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Terrell Owens

Owens in 2017
No. 81
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1973-12-07) December 7, 1973 (age 51) Alexander City, Alabama, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	224 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school:	Benjamin Russell (Alexander City, Alabama)
College:	Chattanooga (1992–1995)
NFL Draft:	1996 / Round: 3 / Pick: 89
Career history
San Francisco 49ers (1996) Philadelphia Eagles (2004) Dallas Cowboys (2006) Buffalo Bills (2009) Cincinnati Bengals (2010) Allen Wranglers (2012) Seattle Seahawks (2012)* FCF Zappers (2022) Knights of Degen (2022)
Career highlights and awards
5× First-team All-Pro (2000–2002, 2004, 2007) 6× Pro Bowl (2000–2004, 2007) 3× NFL receiving touchdowns leader (2001, 2002, 2006) NFL 2000s All-Decade Team San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 1,078 Receiving yards: 15,934 Receiving touchdowns: 153
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Terrell Eldorado Owens (born December 7, 1973), often called "T.O.", is a famous American former professional football player. He was a wide receiver for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Many people think Owens is one of the best wide receivers ever. He holds the third-highest records in NFL history for career receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

Owens played college football for the Chattanooga Mocs. The San Francisco 49ers picked him in the third round of the 1996 NFL draft. He played for the 49ers for seven seasons. In 2004, he moved to the Philadelphia Eagles. Two years later, he joined the Dallas Cowboys for three seasons. Owens' NFL career ended after playing one season each with the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. He also played for the Allen Wranglers in the Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2012 and later for Fan Controlled Football (FCF) in 2022.

Terrell Owens was chosen for the Pro Bowl six times and was a first-team All-Pro five times. He was also known for his exciting touchdown celebrations. In 2018, he was honored by being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Early Life and High School Sports

Terrell Owens was born in Alexander City, Alabama. He grew up with his mother, grandmother, and three siblings. He loved watching football, especially his favorite player, Jerry Rice. Owens' grandmother did not let him play sports until he reached high school.

Owens went to Benjamin Russell High School. There, he played football, baseball, track, and basketball. He did not become a starter on his high school football team until his junior year. This happened when a teammate was sick and missed a game.

College Football Career

While attending the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Owens played basketball, football, and ran track. He even played in the 1995 NCAA basketball tournament. He became a starter in football during his second year.

In his sophomore year, Owens caught 38 passes for 724 yards and eight touchdowns. In his junior year, he had 34 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns. By his senior year, other teams knew how good he was, so they often used two defenders to cover him. This limited him to 43 catches for 667 yards and one touchdown. Owens also helped his school's relay team in track at the NCAA championship. He played in the Senior Bowl, an all-star game for college seniors, to prepare for the NFL Draft.

College Statistics Overview

Professional Football Career

Because Owens played at a smaller college, NFL scouts didn't see him as much. This caused him to be picked later in the draft.

Playing for the San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers drafted Terrell Owens as the 89th pick in the third round of the 1996 NFL draft. His first professional game was against the New Orleans Saints. He caught his first two passes in Week 4 against the Carolina Panthers. Owens scored his first touchdown on October 20 against the Cincinnati Bengals with a 45-yard pass from Steve Young. He finished his first season with 35 catches for 520 yards and four touchdowns.

In the 1997 NFL season, the 49ers' top receiver, Jerry Rice, got injured. Owens stepped up and took his place. He helped the 49ers win 13 games that season, ending with 936 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He scored his first playoff touchdown in a win against the Minnesota Vikings.

In 1998, Owens had over 1,000 receiving yards for the first time, with 67 catches for 1,097 yards and 14 touchdowns. In a playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, Owens struggled at first. But he made up for it by catching the game-winning touchdown, which is now famous as "The Catch II." This helped the 49ers win 30–27.

In 1999, Owens' performance dropped a bit after quarterback Steve Young was injured. He finished the season with 60 catches for 754 yards and four touchdowns.

On December 17, 2000, Owens had an amazing day, catching 20 passes for 283 yards in a win against the Chicago Bears. His 20 catches broke a 50-year-old record. He ended that year with 97 catches for 1,451 yards and thirteen touchdowns.

Owens had another strong season in 2001, with 93 catches for 1,412 yards and 16 touchdowns.

In 2002, Owens caught 100 passes for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns. In a playoff game, the 49ers came back from a big deficit to beat the New York Giants 39–38. Owens scored two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions in that game. The next week, the 49ers lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In 2003, Owens finished his last season with the 49ers with 80 catches for 1,102 yards and nine touchdowns. The team ended with a 7–9 record.

Owens wanted to leave the 49ers. There was a disagreement about his contract. Eventually, the NFL and the teams involved made a deal. On March 16, 2004, Owens was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. His contract with the Eagles was for seven years and about $49 million.

Time with the Philadelphia Eagles

Owens (81) with the Eagles talking to Marty Mornhinweg.

On December 19, 2004, Owens got a serious ankle injury while playing against the Dallas Cowboys. The injury needed surgery. Doctors said he would miss the rest of the season.

However, after the Eagles won the NFC Championship game, Owens decided to play in Super Bowl XXXIX against his doctors' advice. He played in the game and had nine catches for 122 yards. The Eagles lost to the New England Patriots. After the game, Owens felt that the media treated him unfairly for playing while injured.

In 2005, Owens wanted a new contract with the Eagles. He also made some comments that caused tension with his quarterback, Donovan McNabb. On November 2, Owens had an argument with a team ambassador. The next day, in an interview, Owens made comments that some Eagles fans thought were critical of McNabb.

Two days later, the Eagles suspended Owens for "conduct detrimental to the team." His suspension was later increased, and he was not allowed to play for the rest of the season.

On March 14, 2006, the Philadelphia Eagles released Owens.

Playing for the Dallas Cowboys

Owens in August 2007

On March 18, 2006, the Dallas Cowboys signed Owens to a three-year, $25 million deal.

Owens played his first game for the Cowboys in the 2006 NFL season opener. He caught eight passes for 80 yards and one touchdown. The next week, he broke his finger but continued to play after having a plate inserted.

Owens returned to Philadelphia to play against his former team. Fans booed him loudly. He had three catches for 45 yards, and the Cowboys lost the game.

Later in the season, Owens injured a tendon in the same finger. Doctors suggested surgery, but Owens chose to wait until after the season to fix it. He led the league with 13 touchdown catches that season.

In the 2007 season, Owens and the Cowboys played very well. On November 18, Owens set a new personal best with four touchdown catches against the Washington Redskins. He also became the first player in NFL history with at least one touchdown catch and six catches in seven straight games. Owens was chosen to play in the Pro Bowl. He also made the All-Pro team. On December 22, Owens caught his 15th touchdown of the season, setting a new Cowboys record. However, he also got an ankle sprain that kept him out of the rest of the regular season. He finished the season with 81 catches, 15 touchdowns, and 1,355 receiving yards.

Owens returned for the playoff game against the New York Giants. He caught four passes for 49 yards and a touchdown. The Cowboys lost the game, and Owens became emotional during the press conference.

In the 2008 Pro Bowl, Owens caught seven passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns. In the Cowboys' second game of the 2008 season, Owens passed Cris Carter to become second all-time in career touchdowns, behind only Jerry Rice.

The Cowboys released Owens on March 4, 2009. Owens later said he was surprised by the decision.

Time with the Buffalo Bills

On March 8, 2009, the Buffalo Bills signed Owens to a one-year contract. He had his first catch with the Bills in a game against the New England Patriots. With that catch, he passed former Bills receiver Andre Reed on the all-time list for career receptions. Owens caught his first touchdown pass with Buffalo in a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The next week, he had no catches against the New Orleans Saints, ending a long streak of games with at least one catch.

Owens had his best game with the Bills against the Jacksonville Jaguars, with nine catches for 197 yards and a touchdown. He and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick set a Bills record for the longest touchdown reception with a 98-yard play. He also became the oldest player to have a touchdown reception over 76 yards. He finished his only season with Buffalo with 55 catches for 829 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Playing for the Cincinnati Bengals

Owens (middle) with Chad Ochocinco before a game against the New England Patriots in September 2010.

On July 27, 2010, Owens signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. He joined Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson, who had encouraged the Bengals to sign him. Owens received his usual number, #81.

In Week 4 against the Cleveland Browns, he had a great game with ten catches, 222 yards, and a 78-yard touchdown. On December 21, Owens was placed on injured reserve for the first time in his 15-year career. He still led all Bengals' receivers with 72 catches, 983 yards, and 9 touchdowns for the season. The Bengals decided not to re-sign Owens for the 2011 season.

He tore a ligament in his knee during the 2011 offseason and had surgery in April 2011. He was cleared to play again on October 19. He held a televised workout, but no NFL teams attended.

Indoor Football League and Other Teams

On November 2, 2011, the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League offered Owens a contract. On January 18, 2012, Owens announced he accepted the offer and joined their ownership group. In his first game for the Wranglers, Owens caught three passes for 53 yards and three touchdowns. He played eight games, with 35 catches for 420 yards and ten touchdowns.

On May 29, 2012, Owens was released by the Wranglers. The team said he was released for not showing enough effort.

On August 6, 2012, Owens signed a one-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks. He played in two preseason games, catching two passes for 41 yards. On August 26, 2012, Owens announced that the Seahawks had released him.

In January 2015, Owens said he had not retired and was still training.

Flag Football and CFL

On June 28, 2017, Owens was a team captain for Team Owens in the first game of the new American Flag Football League.

In June 2018, the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL) added Owens to their negotiation list. He activated his 10-day signing window, but the Eskimos later dropped him from their list. In August 2018, Owens worked out for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Fan Controlled Football

On March 31, 2022, Owens signed with Fan Controlled Football. He was expected to play for the Zappers. On May 11, 2022, Owens was traded to the Knights of Degen.

In December 2022, it was reported that Owens was in contact with the Dallas Cowboys and other teams about a possible NFL return. However, no deal was made.

Touchdown Celebrations

During his career, Owens was famous for his exciting celebrations after scoring touchdowns. Some of these celebrations led to fines from the NFL.

Celebrations with San Francisco

• On September 24, 2000, in Dallas, Owens ran to the middle of the field after scoring touchdowns and stood on the Dallas Cowboys' star logo twice. The second time, Cowboys player George Teague tackled him, which caused a fight between the two teams.
• During a game in 2002, Owens pulled a Sharpie marker from his sock to sign the football after a touchdown. He then gave the ball to his financial adviser. The league later made a rule that players could not carry "foreign objects" on the field.

Celebrations with Philadelphia

• The "Bird Dance" or "Wing Flap" became Owens' special dance with the Eagles. He did this dance often after big plays or touchdowns in 2004.
• Owens copied the pre-game dance of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis after scoring a touchdown against the Ravens in 2004.

Celebrations with Dallas

• On Thanksgiving Day in 2006, after catching a touchdown pass, Owens dropped the ball into a large Salvation Army Red Kettle. He said it was his "donation."
• On September 16, 2007, Owens pretended to film the game from behind a goal post, making fun of Bill Belichick. The Cowboys were penalized 15 yards for "excessive celebration," and Owens was fined $7,500.
• On November 4, 2007, against his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, Owens flapped his wings, doing the "Bird Dance" he used to do with the Eagles. This made the crowd boo him. After the game, Owens said, "There's a lot of love in those boos."

Career Statistics Overview

NFL Regular Season Statistics

NFL Postseason Statistics

Other League Statistics

Personal Life

Terrell Owens is a father to two daughters and two sons. His daughter Kylee plays volleyball at Prairie View A&M University. His son, Terique, is a wide receiver for Owens' old team, the San Francisco 49ers. He was signed by them after the 2024 NFL draft.

In September 2004, Owens released his autobiography, Catch This! Going Deep with the NFL's Sharpest Weapon. He wrote it with author Stephen Singular.

Owens is a Christian and was raised in the faith by his grandmother.

On October 16, 2023, Owens was involved in an incident where he was hit by a car in Calabasas, California, after an argument following a basketball game. He was not injured.

Other Work and Appearances

Owens has appeared in various commercials, television shows, and films. He played himself in the 1999 film Any Given Sunday. In 2003, he was in a commercial for the ESPY Awards. Owens also appeared in an episode of Punk'd.

In August 2008, Owens was featured in the first episode of the web series FACETIME. He and Three 6 Mafia interviewed each other.

He starred in a summer 2009 reality show on VH1, called The T.O. Show. The show followed Owens and his friends as they looked at his personal life.

Owens also appeared in the NBA All-Star celebrity game in 2009. He scored 17 points and won his second straight MVP award for the game.

In June 2009, Owens starred in ABC's Superstars, a sports competition show.

On May 18, 2009, Owens filled in as a sports anchor for a local news broadcast.

In 2013, NBC Sports reported that Owens had become a model.

In 2014, Owens made a brief appearance in R&B singer Faith Evans' music video "I Deserve It".

In 2015, Owens competed on The Celebrity Apprentice 7.

On September 5, 2017, Owens was announced as a contestant on season 25 of Dancing with the Stars. He was partnered with professional dancer Cheryl Burke.

Owens at Greg Newsome's Celebrity Softball Game in 2023

In 2017, Owens competed on the special for the MTV reality series The Challenge called Champs vs. Stars.

In May 2018, it was announced that Owens would be on the cover of the "Hall of Fame" edition of Madden NFL 19.

Owens is a big fan of bowling. He has won Chris Paul's CP3 PBA Celebrity Invitational twice, in 2016 and 2021. He also won the Celebrity Clash at this event twice.

Images for kids

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  Owens in 2017

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  Owens (81) with the Eagles talking to Marty Mornhinweg.

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  Owens in August 2007

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  Owens in July 2008

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  Owens (middle) with Chad Ochocinco before a game against the New England Patriots in September 2010.

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  Owens at Greg Newsome's Celebrity Softball Game in 2023

See also

In Spanish: Terrell Owens para niños