HOUSTON — Terrell Owens announced Saturday evening that he was snubbed from the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the second consecutive year.
The former San Francisco 49ers, Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver made the announcement via his Twitter account, hours before the 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame class was to be officially announced.
Unfortunately I DID NOT MAKE IT again this year. Thanks to ALL my fans & supporters. #FlawedProcess
— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) February 4, 2017
Owens finished his illustrious 1,078 receptions for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns. He ranks second all-time behind Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time receiving list.
In Super Bowl XXXIX, his lone Super Bowl appearance, Owens caught nine passes for 122 yards as the Eagles fell to the Patriots 24-21.
After spending the first eight seasons of his career as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, Owens was traded to the Eagles prior to the 2004 season.
In two tumultuous years with the Eagles, that culminated with Owens being suspended from by head coach Andy Reid for conduct detrimental to the team, Owens caught 124 passes for 1,963 yards and 20 touchdowns in 21 games.
Ultimately, Owens was released from the Eagles prior to the 2006 season after spending much of the 2005 campaign lobbying for a new contract after hiring Drew Rosenhaus as his agent which led to an ugly standoff with the organization.
Owens went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals over the course of the final five years of his career prior to retiring after the 2010 season.
It is widely believed that the selection committee held Owens out of the Hall of Fame for the past two years as punishment for Owens’ off-the-field distractions and the impact they had on his time with the San Francisco 49ers, Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills.
Earlier this week, Owens’ former coach Steve Mariucci told NJ Advance Media that he believes that Owens should be in the Hall of Fame.
“He’s got the numbers and the career that says he should be in,” Mariucci said. “I thought he might get in last year. Some voters didn’t think that way, I guess. They seemed to want to make him wait. I think he’s waited long enough. Let’s go. He should be in.”
Despite Mariucci’s plea to the committee, Owens will to wait at least another year.
Matt Lombardo may be reached at MDLombardo@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardo975.
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