The 6-time pro-bowler Terrell Owens was a nightmare to every team he played for. There was constant tension in the locker room. “If it looks like a rat and smells like a rat, by golly, it is a rat.” This is a real quote Owens made on teammate QB Jeff Garcia after he left the 49ers. And he didn’t just stop there. Owens went so far as to question his sexuality, calling him “GAY” publicly. Garcia addressed this episode, many years down the line, in a talk with FAIR GAME, saying, “If he (Owens) didn’t get his opportunities then, well then there was gonna be dissatisfaction, there was gonna be some negativity.”
Nonetheless, Terrell Owens played a vital role for the Niners, the Eagles, the Cowboys, the Bills, and the Bengals from 1996 to 2010. But his attitude towards fellow team members ensured he had a difficult time with the management. From the infamous flagging on the sacred Dallas star in 2000 to pulling a Sharpie out of his sock after a 2002 touchdown against Seattle, to doing sit-ups during a local broadcast following a feud with Eagles coach Andy Reid. T.O. had a knack for stirring the pot. But perhaps that’s all behind him now, as he looks to turn a new leaf
If your current vision of the summer break version of Owens has him shirtless, curling dumbbells, it might be time for an update. In a recent story on Owens’ Instagram, he posted a picture of his “Kale Caesar with ground chicken patty.” He further added in the caption, “Just finished a fast. 1st meal in 72 hours! Trying out a holistic approach. God is good. And so is this food right now.”
Credits: Instagram/@terrellowens
Surprising, isn’t it? After all, Terrell lived for creating trouble… However, if you follow Owens closely, you will know that he is a devout Christian. In fact, he has even openly expressed his faith in God. But his reputation as a diva often overshadows it.
“I feel my passion for the game is viewed differently from other guys because I’ve been very forthcoming about my feelings and perhaps because of how certain people in the media have portrayed me,” Owen explained in an interview with the Christian Post. Behind the flamboyant touchdown celebrations and the cheeky interviews is a man faithful to God… And the media has failed to show that side of him.
On that note, would you prefer watching Owens get real about faith in an interview or have him do sit-ups? You know the answer, and the media does too. It surely doesn’t help his case when TO tends to say whatever he feels.
Terrell Owens and Deebo Samuels have mended fences
After a difficult 2024 NFL season for Deebo Samuels with the 49ers, TO made some comments that did not sit right with Deebo. “It seems like he’s more focused on his pregame attire than he is actually the game,” Owens said in The Game’s Morning Roast. Deebo only scored 670 yards, 51 receptions, and 13 touchdowns last season. By his standard, these numbers are sub-par at best.
While Deebo may already know this, he took to X to share what he thought about Owens’s comments. “T.O cut it fam!!!! ” posted the 29-year-old. Just when it looked like Owens started another spat, Samuel went on record. During the Cleats & Convos podcast he said, “Me and T.O. had a phone call after that as well. Talking to him, it was just, what do you call it? Cheeks and giggles. He said he made a joke out of it but the media blew it out of proportion.” We’ve heard that before.
While TO and Deebo have cleared the air between them, Owens’ flair to make a passing remark is incredible. He speaks his mind without fear, and this honesty has cost Owens more than once. At almost every point, the narrative turns Owens vs the media. And the tension reached its peak when the Hall of Fame voters gave him the cold shoulder in 2016 and 2017.
Despite having ridiculous stats with over 15,000 receiving yards and 153 touchdowns, Owens was not inducted until 2018. He even famously skipped the official ceremony when he was inducted and held his own event, calling out what he believed was “a biased process.”
The post Terrell Owens Gives Up Old Ways as 49ers Legend Sends 3-Word Message on Faith appeared first on EssentiallySports.