Terrell Owens wore the blue star on his helmet only briefly during his illustrious career but he certainly shone brightly during his tenure as a Dallas Cowboy. Whether you love him or hate him he was without a doubt a phenomenal talent and never failed to get people’s attention. Unfortunately, it was often for the wrong reasons. At 44 years old he is still making headlines even though the last game he played in the NFL was over 7 years ago.
Owens was recently voted into the hall of fame after being snubbed 2 years in a row. He was quite vocal in his disappointment after not being selected as a first ballot hall of famer but after finally getting voted in this year he has declined his invitation to the enshrinement ceremony. This is significant because no other Hall of Famer has ever refused to show up for this event. In my opinion, Owens certainly deserved to get in on the first try but he is Hall of Famer now regardless, so why is he playing the Martyr?
I was always a fan of T.O in Dallas. I thought he was a passionate player and an exceptional talent. I was thoroughly disappointed when the Cowboys moved on from him, especially after the Roy Williams trade, but now I am beginning to see why they made the decision. This guy is always playing the victim. He is always claiming to be misunderstood and misjudged. He has stirred up so much controversy and created enemies in nearly every city he has played in. There are some that would go as far as to say that Owens is the worst teammate in the history of the league. I refuse to make such assumptions being so far removed from any locker room but I will concede this: If every single time the guy leaves an organization there is a problem than more likely than not the problem is with him.
Owens destroyed relationships in San Francisco, Philadelphia and in Dallas and now he is burning bridges with members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I hope for his sake that he swallows his pride and gratefully accepts the honour of being enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Not because this latest stunt could irreparably tarnish his legacy forever but because the only person that is in a position to lose here is Terrell Owens. Owens has waited a long time for this once in a lifetime opportunity; an opportunity given to only a select few in his profession. If he squanders his one and only chance to fulfill a lifelong dream, then the guy who claims to “Love me some me” is not doing himself any favours.
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All data and statistics obtained and verified from https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/O/OwenTe00.htm