He hinted at it during a recent appearance with 2 Live Stews on Sporting News Radio, and we’ve picked up some more info about the exchange that resulted in Bills receiver Terrell Owens making himself available to the media, against his wishes, after Sunday’s loss to the Saints.
Owens told Ryan and Doug Stewart of SNR that he had a “heated discussion” with NFL spokesman Greg Aiello regarding the question of whether T.O. must participate in post-game interviews.
Aiello has shared with us some details regarding the chain of events.
Per Aiello, Owens told the Bills P.R. representatives (Scott Berchtold and Chris Jenkins) that “he didn’t want to speak to media after games because they bait him and he gets himself in trouble.”
Berchtold and Jenkins told Owens that he had no choice.
So Owens asked to go straight to the league office.
Last Friday, Aiello spoke with Owens and the two Bills employees by phone. T.O. asked “where it said he had to speak to the media after games.” Aiello told T.O. that the media relations policy in the player policy manual spells out the obligation. Aiello then read the policy to Owens, and Aiello told Owens that players have been fined for refusing to comply.
“He fulfilled his obligation,” Aiello said. “Three cheers for T.O.”
Right, but there’s no requirement that Owens be happy or enthusiastic. On Sunday, he wasn’t. And we expect to see that same demeanor from T.O. for the remainder of his career in Buffalo.
Which will last another 13 games.