Suffered a severe high ankle sprain and a fractured fibula in his right leg vs. Dal. (12/19). Underwent surgery by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Myerson in Baltimore on 12/22/04. Was inactive at Cin (1/2)
One of the most prolific receivers in league history and one of the most entertaining players in all of sports, Terrell Owens will bring his big-play ability and toughness to the Eagles offense after being acquired in a highly-publicized three-way trade involving Baltimore and San Francisco on 3/16/03. A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has hauled in 592 receptions for 8,572 yards and 81 TDs in his first 8 NFL seasons. His 20 catches vs. Chicago in 2000 set an all-time NFL record and his 51 TD grabs since 2000 leads all NFL receivers in that time span. A 3rd round draft choice out of Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1996, Owens is a tenacious worker on and off the football field. That tenacity has even been used in his fight to find a cure for Alzheimer's, a disease that affects millions of Americans, including his grandmother, Alice Black. In 2003, he lobbied U.S. Congress for more funding for research for the crippling disease.
NEAR AND DEAR TO HIS HEART
Owens holds one charity very near and dear to his heart, the Alzheimer's Association. His family is personally touched by Alzheimer's as his grandmother, Alice Black, is afflicted by the disease. In order to help find a cure, he has served as the celebrity chairperson for the Alzheimer's Association and even addressed Congress in 2003 to request more funding for Alzheimer's research.
In 2004, hosted a charity weekend in Atlanta, "Stars with a Cause," that benefitted the Atlanta Chapter of the National Alzheimer's Foundation. The weekend included a night of bowling, billiards, dominoes and cards. On Saturday, the stars made a visit to AG Rhodes Home, an Atlanta Alzheimer's care center to play bingo and sing karaoke. A celebrity basketball game also took place at Owens' home gym.
A COUNTRY BOY FROM A HUMBLE PAST
Although Terrell Owens has been surrounded by glitz and glamour in recent years, the Alexander City, AL, native came from very humble beginnings.
"Everybody worked at Russell Athletics," recalled Owens of his town of 15,000 people. "My mother, my father, my grandmother, my uncles. It was like all the people I knew worked there. I even worked there repairing shipping boxes on the loading dock."
T.O. also had a humble beginning in sports. He didn't start on his high school team until his senior year and had to be convinced not to quit the sport by his coach. He wouldn't have been recruited to play at Tennessee-Chattanooga if it weren't for a teammate who brought college coaches to watch their games.
"I never got to make the big plays when I was younger, and even early in my NFL career, said Owens. "I had to wait my turn. You've got to work hard and when you get a shot you have to prove yourself."
Owens also had to wait for the first 5 seasons of his pro career to become "the guy," while playing in the shadows of All-World WR Jerry Rice.
"I got to see how champions work from Jerry," said Owens. "I always wanted to win championships and I got to see the level of commitment it takes."
TerrellOwens.com
TerrellOwens.com is one of the top NFL player web sites in existence. The web site offers a wide selection of Owens collectibles, incluiding a replica of his college jersey, a discussion forum, a media gallery, an "Ask Owens" section and his latest stats and news.
CATCH THIS
"This might be the most exciting thing I've done since I've been in the NFL." That's how strongly Terrell Owens feels about his upcoming autobiography, "Catch This - Going Deep With The NFL's Sharpest Weapon." The book, co-written with Stephen Singular and published by Simon & Schuster, is a personal account of T.O.'s life.
"I decided to go ahead with the book because I want to give people a better perspective on who I really am," explained Owens. "I am always listening to people and observing things. I think some people get that confused with arrogance when it's really not. When I was younger I was never the star. I had to work my butt off to get where I am. I still have that same attitude."
THE CHOCOLATE ROOM
Elvis had "The Jungle Room." T.O. has "The Chocolate Room." Owens has a place in his home where he can get away and relax. That room for Owens is The Chocolate Room, located in the basement of his 6 bedroom home in suburban Atlanta.
"That's where I escape," said Owens. "Everything is chocolate-colored and over-sized. Not many people go in that room."
Owens is not kidding about limiting access to the room. You need to know the combination to get trough the door. Once inside it's extremely plush, from the sofas to the carpeting. With a stereo system and a plasma screen TV, he's got all the ingredients to chill out.
"The way I've set it up I never have to go out," said Owens. "We can have a good time right in my house."
Along with the Chocolate Room, Owens home includes a fully loaded pool hall and an indoor basketball gymnasium. With pool tables, pin ball games, an air hockey table and an assortment of video games, it's safe to say there's a competitive nature in his home.
"It gets pretty competitive in my house," he said. "Whether we're playing basketball, dominoes or shooting pool, by the end of the night the loser's going to be doing pushups."
HE'S GOT GAME
Owens' love for the game of basketball is very serious. So serious that he built a full-size basketball gymnasium in his home and uses it as part of his offseason conditioning.
In college, Owens played 3 seasons on the Tennessee-Chattanooga basketball team and made 5 starts for a team that qualified for the NCAA tournament in 1995. In 2002, he played in 5 games for the Adirondack Wildcats of United States Basketball League. In 2000, he won the celebrity slam dunk competition at the NBA All-Star game in Oakland. He also suits up on occasion for the Eagles offseason basketball team.
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