Terrell Owens

Terrell Eldorado Owens (; born December 7, 1973), nicknamed "T.O.", is an American former football wide receiver who played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time, Owens ranks third in NFL history in career receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. After playing college football and basketball at Chattanooga, Owens was selected in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Owens was a member of the team for seven seasons until he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004. Two years later, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys, where he spent three seasons. Owens' NFL career subsequently concluded after one season each with the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. He also played for the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2012 and returned to professional football in 2022 with Fan Controlled Football (FCF). A six-time Pro Bowl and five-time first-team All-Pro selection, Owens also created a significant amount of controversy during his professional career and attracted attention for his flamboyant touchdown celebrations. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018, in his third year of eligibility. Early life Owens was born to Marilyn Heard and her neighbor L.C. Russell in Alexander City, Alabama. At 10 years old, he discovered his father's identity after liking his daughter, only to learn that she was his sister. He grew up with three other siblings and was raised by his mother and grandmother. He enjoyed watching football, especially his favorite player, Jerry Rice. However, Owens' grandmother initially forbade him from playing sports until high school. Owens attended Benjamin Russell High School, where he participated in football, baseball, track, and basketball. Owens did not start on his high school football team until his junior year, when one of his teammates missed a game due to illness.