The perpetual T.O. comeback tour continues, with still no takers.
Before going any farther, I need to disclose that Terrell Owens thinks I’m the devil. So it’s possible that anything I write will be subconsciously influenced by the fact that he has exposed my horns, hooves, and pitchfork to the Twitterverse.
The future Hall of Famer appeared today on NFL Network, shrugging at his lack of current employment by explaining that teams want to look at young players at this stage of the offseason, and that they’ll be interested in veterans later. In lieu of listing every veteran who has signed a contract since the 2012 season ended (and many have), the 32 NFL teams currently have nearly 2,900 combined roster spots. And not a single one has been offered to Owens since he was cut last year by the Seahawks.
He identified the Vikings and Chiefs as potential fits. In Minnesota, receivers coach George Stewart spent several years with Owens in San Francisco. After moving on from Percy Harvin earlier this year, however, it’s hard to imagine the Vikings taking a chance on a player with a reputation for causing problems.
As to the Chiefs, former Eagles coach Andy Reid runs the show and former Eagles offensive coordinator Brad Childress is on the staff. In other words, there’s no way the Chiefs will sign him.
Owens continues to point to “politics” and his “reputation” as reasons for not having a job. If he still was as talented as he thinks he is, at least one team would overlook that. As it stands, no one believes he’s good enough to justify the risk that Owens will do the stuff he’s done elsewhere to undermine the concept of team.
It doesn’t matter than he admits fault or takes responsibility now. Desperation will get a guy to say whatever he needs to say to get whatever he wants. His past conduct, his present skills, and his future prospects add up to nearly 2,900 NFL jobs and not one of them for Owens.
We wish him the best as he gradually comes to the realization that it’s time to move on, and we hope he finds something fulfilling and meaningful to carry him over the next 20 or 30 years of his life. He’s got a lot of living left to do, and the sooner he embraces the next phase, the better off he’ll be over the long run.