Terrell Owens: Put My Career On Line, Felt A 'Little Bit Slighted'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- It's always fun harking back to the 2004-05 Eagles NFC Championship winning season. And it's always interesting to hear from the team's most intriguing athlete---love him or hate him---Terrell Owens.
The always candid Owens joined Breakfast On Broad and talked about how his time in Philly unraveled. Owens, who broke his leg and tore a ligament in his ankle, signed a waiver to play in Super Bowl XXXIX. After the season, however, the Eagles refused to reward him with a new contract.
"For whatever reason they didn't want to do a new contract," Owens said. "For me, for what I had done---me putting my career on the line, I felt like it was worth a conversation and that wasn't be had. So I did feel a little bit slighted, considering."
"The fact that he basically put his career on the line with no net," 94WIP's Ike Reese said Thursday on the Mike & Ike Show. "He had to sign a waiver to play in that Super Bowl. He didn't get cleared medically by the doctor. [Head Coach] Andy [Reid] wasn't even sure if he should let him or if he'll be able to play.
He [Owens] wanted to play in the Super Bowl, but I get that though. I love the fact that he put it out there. 'I signed a waiver that basically let the Eagles or the doctors off the hook.'"
The dispute culminated into the infamous T.O. weightlifting on his lawn, media session. Owens says that scene was not intentional.
"I just tried to make light of it," Owens said. "It was already a frustrating situation. Helicopters everywhere, so I'm like man this real. So I'm really starting to feel like, yeah, this is the life of a superstar. I tried to be playful with it. It wasn't anything calculated or me trying to show up anybody."
T.O., who had disputes with teammates like Donovan McNabb and Hugh Douglas, says the players loved him.
"For the short time that I was here [in Philadelphia], the players, everybody loved," Owens said. "Obviously, Donovan [McNabb] had been here for many years so he had his friends and I think a lot of people really got to see who I was. I mean, a lot of those guys had played against me and they saw that side of me. Again, in the locker room, like I said, I had fun with the guys. We did a lot of things together. We had parties, we hung out.
"So again, if you ask the guys---you mentioned Ike Reese---those guy will tell you. Those guys will tell you, I wasn't a bad teammate."