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PRO: One of the most prolific receivers in league history and one of the most entertaining players in all of sports, Terrell Owens brings his big-play ability and toughness to the Cowboys offense in 2006. A five-time Pro Bowl selection (2000-04) and five-time All-Pro honoree (1998, 2000-02, 2004), Owens has hauled in 716 receptions for 10,535 yards and 101 touchdowns in his first 10 NFL seasons. His 101 career touchdown receptions, ranks fourth on the NFL's all-time list behind Jerry Rice (197), Cris Carter (130) and Marvin Harrison (110). At 74.2 yards-per-game, Owens has the seventh best yards-per-game average in NFL history. He will begin the 2006 season 20th in NFL history with 10,535 receiving yards and 22nd in league annals with 716 career receptions. He will also enter the 2006 season with a streak of 136 consecutive regular season games with at least one reception, the third longest active streak in the NFL behind Harrison (155) and Keyshawn Johnson (151). Owens last failed to catch a pass in a game on Oct. 14, 1996 at Green Bay. With six career 1,000-yard receiving seasons and four seasons with 80-or-more receptions, Owens's career has been filled with incredible single-game performances and memorable milestones. On Dec. 17, 2000, Owens produced the most prolific receiving game in NFL history with an NFL record 20 receptions against Chicago. The 20 receptions broke a 50-year old record of 18 set by Tom Fears of the Rams. In 2004 Owens returned from a surgically-repaired ankle in just seven weeks to catch nine passes for 122 yards for the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. Owens was the second player in NFL history to record five seasons with 13 or more touchdowns, joining Jerry Rice who did it eight times, and with 24 career multiple touchdown receiving games, he trails only Rice (44), Carter (29) and Don Hutson (28) in that category (Harrison also has 24). With 36 career 100-yard receiving games, Owens is tied with Andre Reed for 16th in NFL history and is fifth among active players behind Harrison (53), Randy Moss (45), Isaac Bruce (39) and Torry Holt (39). Since the beginning of the 2000 season, Owens has been one of the elite receivers in the NFL, ranking among the top five in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns over that time:
Top NFL Receivers since 2000
In addition to his pass catching ability, Owens is also one of league's best run blocking receivers, often seen providing downfield escorts for teammates. Owens signed with Dallas on March 18 after his release from Philadelphia, where he played for two seasons and helped guide the Eagles to the Super Bowl following the 2004 season. He was acquired by the Eagles in a highly-publicized three-way trade involving Baltimore and San Francisco on March 16, 2003. Originally a third round draft choice (98th overall) out of Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1996, Owens is a tenacious worker on and off the football field.
2005: Prior to his team imposed suspension following the seventh game of the season, Owens ranked third in the NFL in receptions (47), receiving yards (763) and was tied for second in the league with six receiving touchdowns. He recorded four 100-yard receiving games and scored in five-of-seven games to start the year. Owens opened the season with seven receptions for 112 yards at Atlanta (9/12). With five receptions for 143 yards and two touchdowns against his former team San Francisco (9/18), he became the first Eagle to start the season with two consecutive 100-yard receiving games since Harold Jackson in 1972. He also became the 24th player in NFL history to reach the 10,000-yard receiving plateau. Against Oakland (9/25), he had nine receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown, the 100th touchdown of his career. Owens set highs as an Eagle for receptions (11) and receiving yards (171) along with a touchdown at Kansas City (10/2). He was limited to five catches for 50 yards at Dallas (10/9). Against San Diego (10/23) he caught the 100th receiving touchdown of his career among his seven receptions. In his final game as an Eagle, Owens recorded the longest reception of his career, a 91-yard touchdown grab, and finished the day with 154 yards receiving. The touchdown was the 101st receiving score of his career, moving him into fourth all-time. The following week he was suspended by the team and then deactivated the final nine games of the season.
2004: In his first season as an Eagle, Owens had an outstanding year and posted a number of career-best totals despite missing the final two games of the season due to injury. He was selected a Pro Bowl starter for the NFC squad and also earned consensus first team All-Pro honors. He finished the season with 77 catches for 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns (1.0 per-game). His 14 touchdowns was the third best total in the NFL and broke the team record. He also had a career-best seven 100-yard games, including five consecutive at one point, both of which were Philadelphia records. In his Eagles debut, Owens tied a career high with three touchdown receptions against the N.Y. Giants (9/12). Only two other players in NFL history have recorded three touchdowns in their first game with a new team: Bobby Mitchell, Was., 1962; and Anthony Allen, Was., 1987. He finished the day with a season-high eight catches for 68 yards. At Detroit (9/26) he recorded six receptions for 107 yards and a score, beginning a string of five straight games with over 100 yards receiving. The next week at Chicago (10/3), he tied his season-high with eight receptions for 110 yards and a score, his fourth consecutive game with a touchdown catch. He had 123 receiving yards on four receptions against Carolina (10/17). With four catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns at Cleveland (10/24), he and Todd Pinkston (6 catches for 100 yards) became the first Eagles to notch 100 yards receiving in the same game since Calvin Williams and Fred Barnett against Denver on Sept. 20, 1992. The following week against Baltimore (10/31) he set an Eagles record by posting his fifth consecutive 100-yard receiving game with 101 yards on eight receptions. This streak was the first time in his career he had recorded more than three straight 100-yard games. Since 1970, only Michael Irvin and Isaac Bruce (both in 1995) have held longer streaks. He also scored the game-winning touchdown on an 11-yard catch and run. With three touchdowns at Dallas (11/15), Owens became the first player to post a touchdown reception in seven-straight Monday Night Football games. With 15 touchdowns in 18 MNF games, he trails only Jerry Rice (33 TDs/44 games). He finished the Cowboys contest with six catches for 134 yards and the three scores. Owens had a season-high 161 receiving yards and a touchdown on a season-high tying eight receptions against Green Bay (12/5) and teamed with Brian Westbrook (11 receptions for 156 yards) to become just the second pair of Eagles to each gain over 150 yards receiving in the same game. Tommy McDonald (4-162) and Timmy Brown (5-199) accomplished the feat at St. Louis on Dec. 16, 1962. It was also his career-best seventh 100-yard receiving game of the season. Against Dallas (12/19) Owens had six receptions for 46 yards and suffered a fractured ankle in the third quarter on a tackle by Roy Williams. He missed the final two weeks of the season as well as the club's first two playoff games. He returned from the severe ankle injury in less than seven weeks to post nine receptions for 122 yards against New England (2/6/05) in Super Bowl XXXIX.
2003: In his final year in San Francisco, Owens recorded 80 receptions for 1,102 yards and nine touchdowns and made his fourth consecutive appearance in Hawaii as a member of the NFC Pro Bowl squad. He finished his 49ers career second only to Jerry Rice in total touchdowns (83), receptions (592), receiving yards (8,572), receiving touchdowns (81) and 100-yard receiving games (25). Owens opened the season with seven receptions for 112 yards against Chicago (9/7). He had a season-high eight receptions against Cleveland (9/21) for 90 yards. Against Tampa Bay (10/19), he led the team with six receptions for 152 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown catch. Two weeks later Owens registered a season-high 155 yards on a season-high tying eight receptions, including a 61-yard touchdown catch, against Pittsburgh (11/17) on Monday Night Football. At Cincinnati (12/14) he again had eight receptions, this time for 127 yards and a touchdown.
2002: Despite missing the final two weeks of the regular season with a groin injury, Owens finished the year with a career-high 100 receptions for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns. His 100 receptions tied him for fourth in the NFL, and he was eighth in the NFL in receiving yards. His 13 receiving touchdowns led the NFL. With five multiple-touchdown performances and five 100-yard receiving games, Owens was voted a Pro Bowl starter for the third consecutive year and was a consensus All-Pro selection. He caught four passes for 41 yards, including a long of 33 yards to put the team in position for a game-winning field goal, at the N.Y. Giants (9/5). Against Washington (9/22) he recorded a career-long 38-yard touchdown run along with two catches for 33 yards. He caught six passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 37-yard score in the fourth quarter at Seattle (10/14). Against Arizona (10/27) he caught eight passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns, including a 61-yarder in the second quarter. Owens grabbed 12 passes for a season-high 191 yards - the second best receiving total of his career. Included in that total were three receptions on the game-winning drive in overtime. He led the team with seven catches for 51 yards against Kansas City (11/10) while also rushing twice for 23 yards. Owens continued to perform against the AFC West with seven receptions for 171 yards (24.4 avg.) and two touchdowns, including a season-long 76-yard score in the third quarter, at San Diego (11/17). A season-high 13 receptions against Philadelphia (11/25) went for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Owens had another double-digit reception performance at Dallas (12/8) with 12 catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning eight-yard score with 12 seconds remaining. His 11-yard reception on third-and-10 with 23 seconds remaining set-up the winning score. The following week against Green Bay (12/15) Owens reached 100 receptions for the season when he caught eight passes for 75 yards, including a 45-yard third-quarter touchdown. A groin injury sidelined him the final two weeks of the regular season, but he returned to action with postseason career-highs of nine receptions for 177 yards (19.7 avg). and two touchdowns against the N.Y. Giants (1/5/03). His first quarter 76-yard touchdown reception was the second-longest scoring play in team postseason history and a postseason career best. It was his second career 100-yard postseason receiving game. Owens also completed his first career pass with a 25-yard completion to Tai Streets. In the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at Tampa Bay (1/12/03) he had four receptions for 35 yards.
2001: For the first time in his career, Owens played and started in every game, including postseason. He finished with 93 receptions (fourth in the NFC, ninth in the NFL) for 1,412 yards (second in the NFC, third in the NFL) and a career-high 16 touchdowns, which led the NFL. Named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl roster and a consensus first-team All-Pro selection, Owens had six 100-yard receiving games on the year and posted five multi-touchdown performances. Owens caught a game-high seven passes for 93 yards, including a 40-yard reception during the 49ers game-tying drive at the close of regulation, against Atlanta (9/23). His diving touchdown grab at the N.Y. Jets (10/1) was San Francisco's lone touchdown drive of the day. He finished the game with four receptions for 38 yards and the score while also rushing once for four yards. His first 100-yard receiving game of the season was an eight-catch, 118-yard, two-touchdown performance against Carolina (10/7). In the game he surpassed the 5,000-yard mark for career receiving yards. At Atlanta (10/14) Owens posted season-highs with nine receptions for 183 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. He scored the game-tying touchdown with 17 seconds remaining in regulation and then followed with the game-winning touchdown reception of 52 yards in overtime. All nine receptions came in the second half. He had another nine-catch performance (125 yards) against Detroit (11/4) while also recording his third multi-touchdown game of season with two scores (30 and seven yards). He matched that the following week against New Orleans (11/11) with 25- and five-yard touchdown scores among his eight receptions for 100 yards. He caught seven passes for 99 yards, including a game-tying seven-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Garcia with one second remaining in regulation, at Carolina (11/18). The following week at Indianapolis (11/25) he led the team with six recpetions for 103 yards and a touchdown. Playing with minor injuries to his foot and ankle, Owens caught six passes for 72 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo (12/2). He added four receptions for 64 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown reception, against Philadelphia (12/22). In the regular season finale at New Orleans (1/6/01), he caught two passes, 56 and 60-yard touchdown grabs for 116 yards. In the NFC Wild Card Game at Green Bay (1/13) Owens caught four passes for 40 yards.
2000: The 2000 season was a break-out year for Owens as he ranked fifth in NFL with 97 receptions for a career-high 1,451 yards (third in NFC). He was also third in the NFL with 13 touchdown receptions, including four multiple-touchdown games. Overall he had five 100-yard receiving games on the year and earned his first career Pro Bowl nomination. He was also named first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press. In the season opener, he hauled in a team-high seven receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown at Atlanta (9/3). He then recorded 106 receiving yards and two touchdowns on a team-high six receptions at Dallas (9/24). He was inactive against Arizona (10/1) but then caught a team-high 12 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns against Oakland (10/8). He recorded eight receptions for 93 yards and two touchdowns at Green Bay (10/15) and six receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown at Carolina (10/22). His second 100-yard receiving day of the season came against St. Louis (10/29) when he logged eight receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns, including a 53-yard catch and run. An injured toe at New Orleans (11/5) did not prevent him from recording a team-high 97 receiving yards on six receptions. Because of the turf toe injury, Owens did not start against Kansas City (11/12) and was limited to one catch for six yards. The 49ers deactived him with the toe injury against Atlanta (11/19). He came back with four receptions for a team-high 93 yards at San Diego (12/3) and then caught six passes for 129 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown catch against New Orleans (12/10). Against Chicago (12/17) Owens had the most prolific receiving game in NFL history, breaking the 50-year old record held by Tom Fears, with an NFL record and career-high 20 receptions for a career-high 283 yards and one touchdown.
1999: Owens started 14 games and finished the season with 60 receptions for 754 yards and four touchdowns. His 12.6 yard-per-catch average led the club. He caught five passes for 76 yards at Jacksonville (9/12) and had five receptions for 49 yards and two touchdowns against New Orleans (9/19). His three receptions for 33 yards against Tennessee (10/3) included a 21-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. He caught six passes for 60 yards before leaving the game with a high ankle sprain at St. Louis (11/21). The ankle injury kept him sidelined the following two weeks, but he came back with five receptions for 56 yards at New Orleans (11/14). Against St. Louis (11/21) he recorded the team's first 100-yard receiving game of the season with 120 yards on six receptions. He topped that with season highs of nine receptions and 145 yards at Cincinnati (12/5). He closed out the season with five receptions for 31 yards, including a four-yard touchdown, at Atlanta (1/3/00).
1998: Owens played in 16 games with 10 starts and finished second on the team with 67 receptions, earning All Pro honors for the first time in his career. He tied for second in the NFL (Antonio Freeman) with 14 touchdown receptions and ranked third in the NFC, fifth in the NFL, in non-kicker scoring with 92 points. He finished the season strong by recording 10 touchdowns in his final eight games, including at least one touchdown in each of those games. His 16.4 yards-per-catch led the team. In the season opener against the N.Y. Jets (9/6), he started and caught three passes for 60 yards. He also provided a downfield escort for Garrison Hearst's 96-yard overtime touchdown run. He posted six receptions for 94 yards, including a six-yard touchdown, at New Orleans (10/11). At St. Louis (10/25) he recorded his first 100-yard receiving game of the season with five receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown. He also scored his first career rushing touchdown with a 21-yard reverse. He had four receptions for 72 yards and two touchdowns (36 & 5) against Carolina (11/8). Against the Panthers, he scored on a two-point conversion and forced and returned a fumble 13 yards to set-up a J.J. Stokes touchdown. He had three receptions for 87 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown, at Atlanta (11/15). His four receptions against New Orleans (11/22) included a pair of eight-yard touchdowns. He started and recorded a season-high 140 yards on five receptions against the N.Y. Giants (11/30), including a season-best 79-yard touchdown reception. He had four catches for 53 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown reception from running back Terry Kirby, at Carolina (12/6). In the postseason, Owens had 11 receptions for 146 yards and one touchdown. Against Green Bay (1/3/99) in the NFC Wild Card Game, he had three receptions for 73 yards and one of the most memorable touchdowns in NFL postseason history when he caught a 25-yard touchdown reception from Steve Young with three seconds remaining in the game to give the 49ers a 30-27 come-from-behind win. Owens labeled the catch ?Redemption Reception after dropping four passes earlier in the game. He had eight receptions for 73 yards at Atlanta (1/9/99) in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game.
1997: Owens played in 16 games with 15 starts and led the team with 60 receptions for 936 yards, ranking him 12th in the NFC in receiving yards and 13th in receptions. He also averaged a team-high 15.6 yards-per-catch and became the first player other than Jerry Rice to lead the 49ers in receptions since 1988. He ranked fifth in the NFC, ninth in the NFL, with eight touchdown receptions. Of his 60 catches, 48 produced first downs, or 80 percent of the time he caught the ball. He led or tied for the team lead in receptions eight times and receiving yards nine times. Owens did not start at Tampa Bay (8/31) but replaced Jerry Rice (knee) as the starting flanker at St. Louis (9/7) and posted two receptions for 24 yards. He averaged 24.7 yards on three receptions against New Orleans (9/14), and his only catch against Atlanta (9/21) was for a 56-yard touchdown. He then caught five passes for 48 yards, including a one-handed, leaping reception and whirling touchdown at Carolina (9/29). Against St. Louis (10/12), Owens posted five receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns, the first multiple-touchdown game of his career. The following week at Atlanta (10/19), he matched that with two more touchdowns on six receptions for 93 yards. He then posted four receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown against San Diego (11/23). His team-high six receptions for 74 yards included a 21-yard stretching touchdown after shedding a tackler at the five-yard line, against Minnesota (12/7). Owens started both postseason games and finished with 10 receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown. He opened postseason play with four receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game against Minnesota (1/3/98). Against Green Bay (1/11/98) in the NFC Championship Game, Owens became the seventh 49er to record 100 yards receiving in a playoff game by posting six receptions for 100 yards.
1996: Owens played in 16 games as a rookie, starting 10 - the most starts by a 49ers rookie receiver since Gene Washington made 14 starts in 1969. He finished third on the team in receptions (35) and receiving touchdowns (four), and was second in receiving yards (520). His 14.9-yard average was tops on the team, and he averaged more than 20 yards-per-catch in a team-high four games. He caught just three passes for 32 yards during the first six games of the season, but then came on strong the second half of the year with 32 receptions for 488 yards and four touchdowns in the final 10 games. He caught one pass for 26 yards, returned a kickoff 17 yards and made a season-high three special teams tackles against Atlanta (9/29). He caught four passes for 42 yards, including the game-winning 20-yard touchdown, at Houston (10/27). He earned his first career start, replacing an injured J.J. Stokes (right wrist), and caught four passes for 94 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown - the first of his career - from Steve Young to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, against Cincinnati (10/20). He also returned one kickoff for 12 yards against the Bengals. He had five catches for 110 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown, against Carolina (12/8). It was the first 100-yard receiving game of his career. Owens caught three passes for 45 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown, at Pittsburgh (12/15). He saw action in both postseason games and finished with one reception for seven yards.
COLLEGE: Owens compiled 144 receptions and 2,320 receiving yards with 19 touchdowns during his college career. He earned first-team All-Southern Conference honors as a senior, setting a school record by catching a pass in 11 consecutive games in his final season. He was second-team All-Southern Conference as a junior after earning first-team honors as a sophomore. He scored a career-high eight touchdowns and averaged 19.1 yards-per-catch his sophomore season. He set a Mocs' single-game record with four touchdowns against Marshall in 1993. Owens played three years on the school's basketball team and made five starts for a team that qualified for NCAA tournament in 1995. He also ran the anchor leg on the school's 4 x 100 relay team as senior.
PERSONAL: Born Terrell Eldorado Owens in Alexander City, Ala., he was a four-time letterman in football and track at Benjamin Russell High in Alexander City. He added three letters in basketball and one in baseball. The son of Marilyn Heard and Tit Russell, Owens has two sisters, Sharmaine Stowes (23) and Latasha Scales (31), and a brother, Victor Stowes (21). He celebrated his first NFL touchdown by doing the ?bank-head bounce dance for his mother. He nearly quit football to concentrate on basketball in high school, but was influenced not to by his prep football coach. Owens's love for the game of basketball is very serious. So serious that he built a full-size basketball gymnasium in his home and uses it as part of his offseason conditioning. Owens won a celebrity slam dunk competition at the 2000 NBA All-Star game in Oakland and played five games with the Adirondack Wildcats of the United States Basketball League during the 2002 offseason, averaging 4.2 points and 1.2 rebounds-per-game. He won the 100-meter race at the Superstars competition two consecutive years (2000-01). On Sept. 6, 2005, Owens paid a visit to Houston and spent time with victims of Hurricane Katrina who had been relocated from New Orleans to the Astrodome. With the help of NFL Auctions, he also auctioned off his 2004 Philadelphia Eagles NFC Championship ring in order to raise money for hurricane relief. The winning bid was for $48,200. Owens holds one charity very near and dear to his heart, the Alzheimer's Association. His family is personally touched by Alzheimer's as his grandmother, Alice Black, is afflicted by the disease. In order to help find a cure, he has served as the celebrity chairperson for the Alzheimer's Association and addressed Congress in 2003 to request more funding for Alzheimer's research. In 2004, he hosted a charity weekend in Atlanta, ?Stars with a Cause, that benefited the Atlanta Chapter of the National Alzheimer's Foundation. The weekend included a night of bowling, billiards, dominoes and cards. On Saturday, the stars made a visit to AG Rhodes Home, an Atlanta Alzheimer's care center to play bingo and sing karaoke. A celebrity basketball game also took place at Owens's home gym. Owens majored in merchandising at Tennessee-Chattanooga and was inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003. He resides in suburban Atlanta in the offseason. |
