![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="535" width="780" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
No one is ever going to fault Terrell Owens for attempting a comeback. The Hall of Famer looks to be better in shape at age 48 than a good number of current wide receivers in the NFL. Maybe the Philadephia Eagles should pick up the phone.
Owens, who hung up his cleats in 2013, plans to come out of retirement and play indoor football for the Zappers of Fan Controlled Football. According to Reuters, Owens is “in great shape and wants to show he can still play at a high level.” An official announcement is scheduled for next week, per the report.
Owens is one of the greatest receivers in the history of football, amassing 15,934 receiving yards and 153 touchdowns on 1,078 career receptions. He ranks 3rd all-time in yardage and touchdowns while holding down the 8th spot in catches. Owens went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame donning a midnight green jersey in 2018. Predictably, he skipped the official ceremony in Canton, Ohio. It was the same year Brian Dawkins received his Gold Jacket.
“There’s been a lot of speculation and false reports as to why I chose not to be there [Canton],” Owens said at the time, via ESPN. “I would like to set the record straight: It’s not because of how many times it took for me to be voted to the Hall. It’s about the mere fact that the sportswriters aren’t aligned with the mission and the core values of the Hall of Fame.”
The latest Eagles news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Eagles newsletter here!
What is FCF? Football for the ‘Modern Digital World’
Owens has flirted with coming out of retirement on many occasions – look at his Twitter timeline for evidence — but this one comes with more substance than the rest. Fan Controlled Football is an 8-team league devoted to the fans who watch it. Games are broadcast live on a Twitch stream where fans call the plays in real-time. It’s “football re-imagined for the modern digital world,” according to the FCF website.
Owens will be “mic’d up and wearing a helmet,” per Reuters, and available for in-game interviews. Teams play on a 50-yard indoor football field and the action is 7-on-7. This will mark the second year for the league, with Johnny Manziel returning as FCF’s biggest star. Owens and Manziel will serve as teammates on the Zapper.
Owens Has Flirted with Coming Back Before
The man known for saying “Get your popcorn ready” teased comeback plans last January during an interview with Fubo Sports Network. Owens went into great detail about how he could handle 15-20 snaps per game and made a pitch for Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to sign him. They didn’t. However, Owens sounded dead serious.
“There was an owner that reached out to me at the beginning of the season, told me to keep myself in shape, just in case anything has happened. I have done that,” Owens said. “Again, if you think about where they are in the season they don’t need me for a 16-game season. Three to four games at the max. So, yes, I feel like I can go in, I can contribute at a high level and be productive based on my knowledge of the game.”
Remember, this is the same guy who worked out for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League one day after his Hall of Fame induction in 2018. He clearly misses the sport and no one should be shocked to see him return at some competitive level. Heck, Owens joked he was “available” to join the Eagles in 2016. They could do a lot worse in 2022. He could easily compete for the No. 2 spot opposite DeVonta Smith at training camp with Quez Watkins, Zach Pascal, and Jalen Reagor. He might win it.
0 Comments