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Football, Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens says he couldn’t play in 2011 because media has labeled him with character issues

February 13, 2012 by Steve DelVecchio • Comments
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Terrell Owens was out of work in 2011, and as far as he is concerned that’s not his fault. No teams were interested in giving T.O. a chance last season. Some say it was because of his surgically reconstructed knee and others say he is simply too old. Then, there are those who believe he is too much of a headache and not worth the risk. Those people, Owens says, have been misled by the media.

“I think a lot of why I probably didn’t play this year, everybody keeps talking about the ‘character’ issues,” Owens said in an interview with told KESN-FM according to the Dallas Morning News.  “The last two or three years relatively I was quiet, knowing that everybody was saying that I had a character issues, I’m disruptive, there’s a lot of hype that comes with me, they’re saying I’m a distraction here and there.

“I think the thing … I didn’t get picked up was that a lot of general managers bought into the fact that the media thinks that I’m this bad guy, this rebel guy, this disruptive guy that divides and messes up team’s chemistry.  They won’t allow me to turn over a new leaf.  They won’t allow me to be a better person.  Anytime anything is brought up about me, they keep talking about things that happened five, six, seven years ago.   Why don’t I get a pass?  I’ve kind of fallen into that villain category and I can’t get out of that box.”

What T.O. seems to be forgetting is that he is 38 years old. He’s asking for a “pass” and a chance to “turn over a new leaf,” but even if he has shown he can keep quiet he’s nearing 40 and has a bad knee. While he may have been well-behaved with the Bengals and the Bills, he made his bed earlier in his career with the Eagles and Cowboys. Owens isn’t playing in the Indoor Football League for no reason. His age makes him not worth the risk — even if that risk has decreased over the past few seasons.

Chest bump to Pro Football Talk

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