Terrell Owens never really chose the game of football. Because of his size and skills, the game chose him.
The former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and NFL standout was at his alma mater’s practice Thursday and plans to be in town the rest of the weekend leading up to the fourth-ranked Mocs’ homecoming game Saturday at 2 p.m. against Western Carolina at Finley Stadium.
Owens played football and basketball growing up, preferring the latter. It wasn’t until UTC gave him the opportunity to play college football that he even considered it a possibility, and even after his career had attracted the attention of NFL scouts, he liked basketball more than football.
He spent three years on the basketball team at UTC in addition to his four years of playing football.
“I was starting to get looks from NFL teams, and the coaches didn’t want me to play (my senior year),” Owens said Thursday. “They told me I had a bright future in football and they didn’t want me to risk it, but it just shows where my heart was. I really didn’t have the love for football that I did for basketball, and I felt that if it was meant for me to play football, I will, but I enjoyed basketball as much as I did football.”
He went on to become a third-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1996, eventually playing 15 seasons for five NFL teams and catching 1,078 passes for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns. He never won a Super Bowl, having played in only one (2004), but was on a number of successful NFL teams, unlike his college career when the Mocs won 13 games in his four years.
He’s taken a lot of pride in the unparalleled success that his college football team is currently enjoying.
“What they have right now is well-deserved,” he said. “I’m very proud of the guys; they should be proud of themselves. Our goal was to win over five games in a season when I was here, so that tells you how things have changed.
“I came in early to soak all of this in. It’s the first homecoming I’ve been to since I played here, and I’m excited to be here and looking forward to Saturday. You can feel the energy of the city, the support of the city.”
His professional receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and reception totals rank second, third and sixth most all-time, and he has been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Of course, the 41-year old Owens still has a desire to play one more season, one more game if possible.
“If I got the call tomorrow, I’m missing the (UTC) game Saturday,” he said with a laugh. “I didn’t play the game for the Hall of Fame, so that really doesn’t matter to me. It’s an honor to be in the talks and nominations with some of the greats. I’m honored, but that doesn’t define me. My work speaks for itself, but I know how the politics work.
“If I get in, I get in. If I don’t, I don’t. But if not, it’s not the end of the world.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.