Terrell Owens

Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard broke the unwritten rule of playing on the road against the Dallas Cowboys, celebrating on the star after a big play.

Byard picked off Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the end zone Monday and ran all the way to midfield to celebrate on the opposing logo:

Kevin Byard did the T.O. celebration in the middle of the Dallas star 👀

📺: ESPN #TENvsDALhttps://t.co/ap3htRbcWv

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 6, 2018

Former receiver Terrell Owens pulled off the same move in 2000 as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, although he was leveled by a Cowboys player the second time he attempted it that game. Byard is lucky he didn't receive a similar treatment on Monday Night Football.

Still, Owens appreciated the homage to one of his more iconic moments:

I feel like I’ve seen this before pic.twitter.com/aacvsoO0y3

— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) November 6, 2018

I gave 'em the drip, they sucked it up, I got 'em on it. pic.twitter.com/qYTzuE0xRb

— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) November 6, 2018

With Michael Thomas doing a Joe Horn impression with a cell phone celebration Sunday, Week 9 has been a big week for notable 2000s receivers.

Terrell Owens skipped the 2018 Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Canton, Ohio, but he hasn't thought twice about missing the experience.

"No regrets at all," he said Thursday, per the Associated Press. "If anybody knows who Terrell Owens is outside the media portrayal of me throughout the course of my career. They know what I did. I stand by what I did. ... When they tried to bring other things outside my body of work and my accomplishments, that was an issue for me. My stats spoke loudly. They spoke for themselves."

The AP noted Owens—who held his own celebration at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga—received his Hall of Fame ring during halftime of Thursday's game between the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders at Levi's Stadium.

Fox Sports shared a look at the ceremony:

One of the best wide receivers to ever do it 👏 @terrellowens received his @ProFootballHOF Ring of Excellence tonight pic.twitter.com/hsOjLs2zwK

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) November 2, 2018

The AP explained Owens' reason for holding his own celebration instead of joining classmates such as Randy Moss, Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher in Ohio was his belief voters held off-field concerns against him. Owens was on the ballot for three years despite finishing his career as one of the best wide receivers in history.

He was a six-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro selection who finished eighth in all-time receptions (1,078), second in receiving yards (15,934) and third in receiving touchdowns (153).

It was notable the celebration came at halftime of San Francisco's 34-3 win, since the franchise selected him in the third round of the 1996 draft. He played eight seasons there, which was the longest stop of a 15-year career that included time with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.

Owens may not have celebrated at the Hall of Fame, but 49ers fans had the opportunity to honor his legacy Thursday.

NFL Hall of Famer Terrell Owens has said quarterback Eli Manning deserves blame for the New York Giants' disastrous 1-7 start to the 2018 season and should be benched.

Wideout Odell Beckham Jr. has attracted some blame for his return of just two touchdowns in eight games, but former Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers star Owens told TMZ he backs his fellow wide receiver to come good:

"Odell can't perform because the quarterback is not performing. So, they should basically replace the quarterback.

"I mean, if it was anybody else, any other quarterback, he would have already been replaced. So, at this point, give someone else an opportunity.

"He's won a couple of Super Bowls, but I wouldn't put him in the legendary status. I wouldn't put him in that legend status as of yet ... no disrespect."

Manning, 37, has thrown eight touchdowns in eight appearances this season and is posting a career-worst touchdown percentage of 2.5, per NFL.com.

Owens also railed against those criticizing the Giants' offensive line, arguing there are other NFL quarterbacks who make do with less:

"You have special players that are behind those not-so-great lines that can make something out of nothing. Eli's not one of those types of quarterbacks. He needs protection. [Eli's] skills are pretty much eroding, and he's not really giving the guys an opportunity."

Simms & Lefkoe recently joked about those who continue to defend Manning's place in the Giants' starting lineup:

If you’re a Giants fan still defending Eli Manning, you may be suffering from a rare condition known as #Elitis 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/MW9ZK7oDq7

— The Lefkoe Show (@LefkoeShow) October 22, 2018

Manning, 37, is in his 15th NFL season and has never represented another team in the league. He has a contract running through the 2019 season, but a combined four wins since the beginning of the 2017 season suggests drastic change is required.

Beckham had only 25 receptions and three touchdowns in four games, as injuries ruined his 2017 campaign. However, the fact that he's scored fewer in twice as many outings this year is damning.

Fantasy football pundit Jeff Ratcliffe also recalled his recent run-in with Josh Norman in the Giants' 20-13 loss to the Washington Redskins as one example of him being shut out by a solid cornerback:

Odell Beckham Jr. lined up against Josh Normam on 68% of his routes and 0 of his catches came against Norman in Week 8.

— Jeff Ratcliffe (@JeffRatcliffe) October 29, 2018

Perhaps there isn't any single party to blame, and the Giants' dismal form is an amalgamation of factors. However, Beckham signed a five-year, $95 million contract ($65 million guaranteed) to become the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL, and with that status comes added pressure to perform.

Backup Giants quarterback Kyle Lauletta recently compounded the franchise's misfortunes when he was arrested, per NFL reporter Mike Garafolo:

On #Giants QB Kyle Lauletta’s arrest (first reported by @njdotcom), a Weehawken police source says he hit the gas, ignored cops’ orders to stop, almost hit the cop and another car, cut off other cars and then refused to put his window down or step out of the vehicle.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 30, 2018

If Lauletta is unavailable, it would leave Alex Tanney, 30, as the Giants' only other quarterback option if head coach Pat Shurmur decided to drop Manning. Tanney has played one game in six years as an NFL player, a 30-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in 2015, when he was with the Tennessee Titans.

Owens has made his call on Manning, but a drop to the bench seems unlikely for the 15-year franchise veteran until a decent option presents itself.

The eighth episode of Simms & Lefkoe: The Show is here. Simms and Lefkoe are joined by Terrell Owens and Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson.

Watch Simms & Lefkoe: The Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. Thanks to Times Square Tattoo.

The seventh episode of Simms & Lefkoe: The Show is here. Simms and Lefkoe are joined by Terrell Owens.

Watch Simms & Lefkoe: The Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.

Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens said wideout Dez Bryant must sign with a team during the 2018 NFL season or "it's not gonna happen" at all.

On Saturday, TMZ Sports provided comments from Owens about his advice to the big-name free agent.

"Get on a roster, no matter what the money is—if it's a one-year deal, two-year deal, whatever the case may be—and show everybody what you're made of," T.O. said.

The Dallas Cowboys released Bryant in April. The Oklahoma State product earned three Pro Bowl selections and a First Team All-Pro nod across eight seasons with the organization that chose him in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft.

Owens told TMZ Sports the Cowboys, who rank 31st in passing yards per game so far this year, should consider a reunion with their longtime top target.

"Absolutely," he said. "I think that would be—actually, I don't know whether the relationship is fractured since they released him or what have you. I think for Dez, if the Cowboys welcome him back and he gets an opportunity, then that bodes well for Dez and the franchise itself."

Bryant had 69 catches for 838 yards and six touchdowns during the 2017 campaign with Dallas.

On Friday, the 29-year-old Texas native responded to a question on Twitter by saying he planned to sign with a team "soon," but he provided no further details.

The Cleveland Browns have been the team most frequently linked to Bryant in recent months, and they recently traded wideout Josh Gordon to the New England Patriots. Updates on Bryant's status have been few and far between since the start of the regular season, though.

If he does sign, it will likely be a short-term, incentive-laden contract so he can prove he's still an impact player at this stage of his career.

If former NFL cornerback Champ Bailey gets elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, expect him to make the trip to Canton, regardless of how long he had to wait to get the call.

Bailey recently went on the Talk of Fame Network (around the 30-minute mark, h/t TMZ) and discussed Terrell Owens' decision to skip the induction ceremony earlier this month after having to wait until his third year on the ballot. While Bailey understands the reasoning, he also made it clear it's not how he would (or will) handle things.

"For T.O., he carries his emotions a little different. So, I can understand him being ticked off a little differently because he's always carried himself that way ... I don't know if I would do the things [T.O.] did. But, every man has his own choices to make."

Owens' decision to not join his fellow inductees during the first weekend of August stirred the pot because it was unprecedented. While many believe he declined the invitation because he was not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Owens made it clear he was protesting due to a "flaw in the system," via ESPN's Vaughn McClure:

"I understand why I've made my decision. I don't expect everyone to agree with me. But again, obviously the criteria and the system put in place for the Hall of Fame in order for guys like myself to be inducted, there are guidelines that the writers—the sportswriters—are supposed to adhere to.

[...]

"For me, it wasn't about the Hall of Fame. I never played this sport to be in the Hall of Fame. Everything that I've accomplished was a lot of hard work. It was a lot of blood, sweat and tears. And when I feel like there are certain people put in position to not really adhere and honor and respect what I've done for the game, then that's an issue."

Owens instead opted to give his induction speech at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Bailey made it known that he believes his career is worthy of getting him into Canton on the first try. After all, he made 12 Pro Bowls, earned three first-team All-Pro honors and once led the league in interceptions during his 15-year career.

If he doesn't get in on his first try, Bailey admitted he'd probably be "disappointed"—but he would still appreciate the accomplishment regardless. And in the end, he's the one who would have to live with the decision of not attending the official ceremony. That's why he doesn't envision himself pulling a T.O.

Bailey played five years in Washington after being the seventh overall pick in 1999 and spent the final 10 years of his career with the Denver Broncos. He last appeared in a regular-season game during the 2013 season, failing to make the New Orleans Saints' roster the following year.

Terrell Owens made the decision to not attend the NFL Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony Saturday, and the Hall of Fame's board of trustees reportedly wants to make sure it doesn't happen again.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Hall wants a guarantee from inductees in advance of the enshrinement ceremony that they will attend:

"PFT has re-confirmed via a third source what was reported earlier in the day. The subject of an advance commitment to attend the enshrinement ceremony came up on Friday during both the annual Ray Nitschke luncheon (attended exclusively by members of the Hall of Fame) and the meeting of the Hall of Fame's board of trustees. The Hall of Fame staff has been asked to develop a rule, and the Hall of Fame's lawyers currently are in the early stages of crafting language."

Rather than attending the ceremony in Canton, Ohio, Owens held an off-site event at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to commemorate the honor of being elected to the Hall of Fame. During his speech, he called into question the process of electing candidates.

"It's about the mere fact that the sports writers are not in alignment with the mission and core values of the Hall of Fame," he said, per Chris Thompson of Deadspin. "These writers disregarded the system, criteria, and by-laws by which guys are inducted, and ultimately the true meaning of the Hall of Fame, and what it represents."

Owens was a six-time Pro Bowler and five-time first-team All-Pro selection in his career, and he is currently eighth in NFL history in receptions (1,078), second in receiving yards (15,934) and third in receiving touchdowns (153).

But Hall of Fame voters didn't induct him until his third year of eligibility, presumably because Owens earned a reputation for having a personality that was divisive at times, alongside some on- and off-field antics that rubbed certain people the wrong way. 

So Owens instead held his own commemoration. And Florio suspects that financial considerations are the primary factor at play in the Hall's pushback against future inductees doing the same.

He wrote: "There's surely a financial motivation at work here. The weekend brings thousands of people—and hundreds of thousands of dollars—to Canton. Friday night's Gold Jacket dinner, for example, featured tickets that cost $145 each, and at least 4,000 people attended the event at the Canton Civic Center."

Induction in the Hall of Fame is a great honor for any player. But the ongoing Owens' debate has raised interesting questions about whether inductees should have control over how they celebrate the distinction, or whether the Hall should be anything more than simply a place that documents history and highlights the sport's greatest players. 

Owens ultimately had a difference of opinion with the politics of the Hall of Fame. It would seem the board of trustees hopes to avoid this sort of public conflict in the future. 

Terrell Owens held his own Hall of Fame induction ceremony Saturday. Then, a day later, he continued his attempt at a comeback.

Owens was among a group of players who worked out Sunday in Tennessee for Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach and general manager Chris Jones.

"I know I'm truly blessed and I can still play the game," Owens said, per Stephen Hargis of the Times Free Press. "What I did out there today is just a small little snippet of what I can do. I just appreciate Coach for the opportunity. I guess he wanted to assess and see where I am physically.

"It's key when you're trying out to put your best foot forward, and I'm very pleased with what they saw and what I did out there. To be inducted into the Hall of Fame and come back and play, why not me? I know I can do it; it's just a matter of someone giving me the opportunity."

Owens, 44, hasn't played football since the Seattle Seahawks released him in the 2012 preseason. He has been hinting at a possible comeback since 2015 and was part of the American Flag Football League launch last year. 

The Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL added Owens to their negotiation list in June before dropping him last month.

"I wanted to see him run a lot of different routes and work him out for a while to test his stamina," Jones said. "I know he can still fly on the track, but I wanted to see if he could consistently run his routes or if he got tired. I have tryouts whenever it's possible so that former college and pro athletes have the chance to prove themselves and see if they can improve our team. But I've never been faced with anything like this. I mean, he's 44 years old but still runs a 4.4-second 40."

Owens posted a video of him running a 4.43-second time in the 40-yard dash in June. That time would have ranked tied for sixth at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine. 

Terrell Owens accepted his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday in perhaps the most unique manner of all time.

Rather than attending the ceremony in Canton, Ohio, T.O. spoke in front of a large crowd at McKenzie Arena on the campus of alma mater the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, as seen in the following photo courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Eric Adelson:

Here is the scene with a few minutes to go before Terrell Owens’ Hall of Fame ceremony. pic.twitter.com/v5KDYJ37sO

— Eric Adelson (@eric_adelson) August 4, 2018

Owens covered a lot of ground in his speech, including an explanation for why he decided to skip the official ceremony at the site of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Per John Breech of CBS Sports, Owens said it had to do with the sportswriters: "Many of you are probably wondering why we're here instead of Canton. I'd like to set the record straight. It's about the mere fact that the sportswriters aren't aligned with the mission and the core values of the Hall of Fame."

According to Teresa Walker of the Associated Press, Owens continued, "In my heart I know this is the right thing to do. They say I'm making the wrong decision, but sometimes you got to do what is the wrong thing for the right reason."

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1025852719662358529

Despite being one of the top wideouts in NFL history statistically, it took three tries before Owens was given the Hall of Fame nod.

Per Tennessee-Chattanooga football recruiting coordinator Chris Cook, Owens added, "Whether it takes three years or 45 years you should get what you've rightfully earned," with regard to his induction.

T.O.'s presence was unmistakable, and much of that had to do with his flashy wardrobe choice—a suit emblazoned with Pro Football Hall of Fame logos:

TO's Hall of Fame fit 🔥

(via terrellowens/IG) pic.twitter.com/sIrb0GrnaE

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) August 4, 2018

Prior to giving his speech, Owens made a blazer change when his mother presented him with the gold jacket awarded to every Hall of Famer:

.@terrellowens getting that gold jacket from his mother #HOF #ThisIsForYou pic.twitter.com/uthnNeevPD

— Chattanooga Mocs (@GoMocs) August 4, 2018

Owens' mother played a significant role Saturday, as he emotionally thanked her for standing by him, according to Sports Illustrated's Greg Bishop:

TO, addressing mom: And when they ostracized me and tried to keep me from what I rightfully earned, not once, but twice, you text me, 'you don’t have to worry about nothing. You were always a Hall of Famer to me.'

— Greg Bishop (@GregBishopSI) August 4, 2018

Additionally, T.O. teared up when talking about his late grandmother and said he could "feel her presence" in McKenzie Arena.

Owens also gave shout-outs to NBA legends Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant for inspiring him, along with former San Francisco 49ers teammate Jerry Rice, per Breech: "You were an inspiration, beyond my expectations. You were hands down the best receiver in the game, this is for you."

The overall theme of Owens' speech was "this is for you," as he repeated the phrase on numerous occasions when thanking those who supported him.

Whether right or wrong, Owens gained a reputation in the NFL as something of a selfish player, and he played up to that narrative in a moment of self-awareness.

When a fan in the crowd yelled, "I love you," to T.O., the newly minted Hall of Famer answered, "I love you too. I love me more," according to ESPN's Vaughn McClure.

That comment notwithstanding, Owens expressed humility and gratitude throughout the speech.

In closing, Owens admitted to his imperfections but had a positive message to spread, per Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News: "I am not a perfect man. I've made a lot of mistakes, but I like the man who [I] have become. ... Courageous enough to choose Chattanooga over Canton."

Per Nooga.com, T.O. then took the opportunity to inspire those in attendance, just as so many inspired him over the years:

.@terrellowens just asked anyone who has felt alone, misunderstood, anyone from small cities with big dreams, anyone who has been bullied...all stand up— almost the entire roundhouse stood up. Then he said, "This entire speech, you thought was about me, this was for you."

— NOOGAtoday (@NOOGAtoday) August 4, 2018

During an NFL career that spanned 15 years with the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, Owens was a six-time Pro Bowler and five-time selection to the All-Pro first team.

He ranks eighth all-time in receptions (1,078), second in receiving yards (15,934) and third in receiving touchdowns (153).

By those metrics, T.O. rightfully took his spot among football's all-time greats Saturday, no matter how unconventional the process was.