Terrell Owens still has eyes for the NFL, but the wide receiver said if he doesn’t find a team this year he’s hanging up his cleats for good.
Owens hasn’t played in the NFL since a stint on the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010. Now, in an interview with CBS Sports ,Terrell Owens said he plans to retire this year if he doesn’t play next year.
He had a chance last season, getting an invite to the Seattle Seahawks training camp, but was cut three weeks in. Terrell insists that he’s still got something to contribute, and that he’s “not the same guy” he was five years ago.
“That’s just me being realistic,” he said. “I want to play again. I want to go out on top with a team. I think I can still play, but if I don’t sign with a team, it would be time to retire. I have to be honest with myself.”
Reports in April said the 39-year-old Owens was looking at the Chicago Bears as a possible destination. The Bears hired Marc Trestman as head coach, who was the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers when Owens came into the league in 1996.
“I played my first early years in San Francisco with and shortly after that, he left to do some things,” Owens told Comcast SportsNet Chicago’s David Kaplan. “I haven’t talked to Marc in a long while. I know he’s gone on and done some things, now he’s back in the NFL. So, I never really thought about it until myself and (former linebacker) Napoleon (Harris) were talking about it earlier, but I would definitely welcome it if they would give it some serious consideration.”
Terrell Owens thinks he could give the Bears potent wide receiving corps if he joined the team.
“To think about (Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall) on the other side and me on one side, that’s really dangerous. I’m keeping myself in shape just for any opportunity that may come about.”
Owens played 15 seasons, spending time with the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. In his career Owens caught 1,078 passes for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns.
If Terrell Owens doesn’t make the NFL, he seems to have other options. He recently appeared at the Geico PBA Summer Swing and said he wants to join the PBA as a professional bowler.