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T.O.'s time in Buffalo is nearly over

As the Bills close out their 2009 season on Sunday, the Buffalo career of receiver Terrell Owens likely will be ending, too.

Owens surprisingly signed a one-year contract with the Bills in March 2009, for a guaranteed salary of $6.5 million.

“I felt like with the addition of myself and some other guys, we could
get the job done
,” Owens recently said, per Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.  “From the week before the season, I
think things started to get unraveled.  It has been a snowball effect of
a lot of things.  If you factor in the rash of injuries we’ve had, it
has been kind of a downward spiral.”

The surprise firing of offensive coordinator Turk Schonert on September 4 was the first step in the slow collapse of the team.  Schonert thereafter unloaded on coach Dick Jauron, who eventually joined Schonert as a former employee of the team.

So what’s next for Owens?  He has been on the open market twice since being released by the Eagles after the 2005 season, and whenever it seems that he won’t be wanted he lands on his feet.

The Cowboys signed T.O. in March 2006, giving him 25 million reasons to live at a time when no one else seemed to be willing to give him even one.  When the Cowboys finally cut the cord, a year after signing Owens to a contract extension, it appeared that no one would want him.

Then came Buffalo, seemingly out of the blue.

So who will it be in 2010?  The possibilities will be more clear once the dust settles on the annual coaching carousel.  And if/when Mike Shanahan becomes the next head coach in Washington, keep an eye on the possibility of the ‘Skins throwing their headdress into the ring.

Owens visited with the Broncos in January 2006, making Denver the only team other than the Cowboys that expressed a real interest in him.  If former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan will be calling the shots in Washington, Shanahan might be interested in Owens.

Then again, it’s four years later, and Owens is now 36.  During the preseason, he possibly showed signs of his age, with a toe injury that caused him to miss multiple practices.

Regardless, one thing we’ve learned over the past several years is that, even if it appears that no one wants T.O., someone always shows up with a bag of cash and a willingness to give him a crack at fracturing the locker room.

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33 Responses to “T.O.'s time in Buffalo is nearly over”
  1. Allied Biscuit says: Jan 2, 2010 11:04 AM

    Expect 6 dozen posts in the next couple weeks about Florio’s expectations of where TO will go. i expect him to put every single team that has not had him up for possible destinations. and why he thinks it will happen.

  2. coz says: Jan 2, 2010 11:05 AM

    no one will want him then he will be stuck in buffalo for 2 more years with no qb

  3. TheGooch says: Jan 2, 2010 11:06 AM

    Him and vick end up in Oakland

  4. Outfoxed says: Jan 2, 2010 11:08 AM

    Yea, I have nothing to say about TO either!!!

  5. J says: Jan 2, 2010 11:10 AM

    Who Cares?

  6. GoBrowns19 says: Jan 2, 2010 11:13 AM

    The only way he’ll be effective in ’10 is if he gets onto a perennial winner with plenty of other weapons. Problem is, if there are plenty of other weapons, he’ll bitch and moan about not getting the ball enough. The guy’s a weirdo.

  7. Bongemi says: Jan 2, 2010 11:17 AM

    The next SCHIZM in Minnesota?

  8. Favre On HGH says: Jan 2, 2010 11:18 AM

    He actually managed to stay somewhat civil in Buffalo, wouldn’t surprise me to see someone give him another year. Think he is getting too old to go much longer than that though.

  9. iusedtobeteddybayer says: Jan 2, 2010 11:18 AM

    Another Pulitzer, miniman.

  10. KrazyTrumpeter05 says: Jan 2, 2010 11:36 AM

    How exactly did he fracture the locker room this season? There were no outbursts or anything. The guy has really mellowed out and made a serious effort to be a proper team player this year.

  11. virtualplague says: Jan 2, 2010 11:36 AM

    Finally. He’s terrible now. He was a big reason for our lack of offense. He doesn’t run the correct routes, he doesn’t give his all on every play and he never blocks.
    Oh yeah, and the drops.

  12. Asswipe Johnson (Pronounced Az-Wee-Pay) says: Jan 2, 2010 11:47 AM

    Tampa Bay: Owens, Bryant and Winslow…all three have an attitude history.

  13. Dan Snyder is a Moron says: Jan 2, 2010 11:49 AM

    If there is a chance for Danny Boy to overpay for an aging, underperforming player he will do it. Welcome to the Redskins T.O.!

  14. Bill In DC says: Jan 2, 2010 12:00 PM

    KrazyTrumpeter05 says:
    January 2, 2010 11:36 AM
    How exactly did he fracture the locker room this season? There were no outbursts or anything. The guy has really mellowed out and made a serious effort to be a proper team player this year.
    ————–
    Sorry, but that’s clasic TO ’1st season with a team’ behavior. He was a model citizen in Philly and in Dallas the first year. then the antics started on each team.
    The guy will be 36 and, unlike Jerry Rice and Micheal Irvin, TO does not run great routes that could sustain him after he loses his strength and speed advantage (which he has already starting with his last season in Dallas). TO is done. He should retire and go into acting.

  15. Akshun says: Jan 2, 2010 12:01 PM

    Owens will be replacin Marshall in Denver

  16. East Bay Ray says: Jan 2, 2010 12:10 PM

    Gotta be the Raiders. That way he can work with Darrius Heyward-Bey to further hone his pass-dropping skills. And, can you imagine JaMarcus as his QB? It would take, what, 5 minutes for him to announce in the media how bad JaMarcus sucks? Good times all around.

  17. 56lightsout56 says: Jan 2, 2010 12:11 PM

    bye T.O. and maybe the door WILL hit you on the way out.

  18. HarrisonHits says: Jan 2, 2010 12:31 PM

    Given the drops and lack of production seems like his time in Buffalo was over before it ever started.

  19. downsouth49er says: Jan 2, 2010 12:55 PM

    The only reason T.O. has shut his mouth in BUF is because he didn’t want to ruin what small chance he has of signing on with another team. The guy is an ass will prove it over and over again!!!

  20. polakojones says: Jan 2, 2010 1:07 PM

    TO plays for Buffalo?!?

  21. MDI says: Jan 2, 2010 1:35 PM

    I am sure one of the below teams will take him:-
    BALTIMORE RAVENS
    CHICAGO BEARS
    WASHINGTON REDSKINS

  22. bigrig says: Jan 2, 2010 1:43 PM

    Rosenhaus convinced Owens that if he could stay on his best behavior this year, Rosenhaus could probably get Owens on more big money signing bonus in ’10.
    You don’t act “the fool” when you are on a one year deal.

  23. 27Rice says: Jan 2, 2010 1:43 PM

    Wouldn’t be surprised to see him in Baltimore.
    1. The Ravens did make a trade for him a few years ago that did get nixed which sent him to Philly.
    2. The Ravens contacted the Bills prior to this year’s trade deadline and inquire about TO. Bills didn’t want to move him.
    How stupid was that decision? Now they get nothing.

  24. Anarcho Purplism says: Jan 2, 2010 2:00 PM

    How long is TOs tooth?
    Someone will throw him a bone cuz he can still make plays.
    Doubt it will be any significant team.

  25. rockotica says: Jan 2, 2010 2:04 PM

    TO; the 2011 Florida Tuskers team MVP.

  26. Lombardi 6 says: Jan 2, 2010 2:13 PM

    He’s probably getting ready to cry–hanging out with those 2 transvestites that run his life..

  27. The Coop says: Jan 2, 2010 3:06 PM

    “He has been on the open market twice since being released by the Eagles after the 2005 season, and whenever it seems that he won’t be wanted he lands on his feet.”
    Sure – if you consider being an ineffective, over-the-hill player on a going-nowhere team “landing on your feet.”

  28. Tdk24 says: Jan 2, 2010 3:34 PM

    “Him and vick end up in Oakland”
    I would not complain about that. Get it done Al.

  29. FireJerryJones says: Jan 2, 2010 3:53 PM

    Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.
    Nuff said.

  30. chunky soupy sales says: Jan 2, 2010 7:18 PM

    “Sorry, but that’s clasic TO ’1st season with a team’ behavior. He was a model citizen in Philly and in Dallas the first year. then the antics started on each team.
    The guy will be 36 and, unlike Jerry Rice and Micheal Irvin, TO does not run great routes that could sustain him after he loses his strength and speed advantage (which he has already starting with his last season in Dallas). TO is done. He should retire and go into acting.”
    Perfect answer, can’t add anything to that.

  31. Route36West says: Jan 2, 2010 7:59 PM

    Im dissappointed Florio didnt say anything about how T.O. has to give his key to Buffalo back to the mayor. (He said if he doesnt get 10 tds or take Buffalo to the playoffs he would give the key to the city back.)

  32. mwcarolina says: Jan 2, 2010 11:55 PM

    i can not see Owens in Buffalo Florio, Shanahan may like him, but Snyder doesnt, if he did he would’ve signed him last year. I see Shanahan fixing the line in free agency then going after a young qb and keeping the young recievers that we have, maybe cutting Randle El. As for where T.O. could go, San Francisco may take him back, Baltimore, but i say if Vick leaves Philly than Owens may try to follow where Vick goes.

  33. antneejay2 says: Jan 3, 2010 7:27 AM

    Terrell is much better at collecting reasons to live than consistantly catching passes. More power to him I guess, but it would be nice to see someone who is deserving catch a break once in a while. However, that doesn’t happen often in a society where douchebaggery is treated as a virtue and is rewarded accordingly.

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