On paper, Terrell Owens is a lock for the Hall of Fame. The six-time Pro Bowler is one of the best wide receivers to ever play in the NFL, but will so-called extracurriculars give voters pause when Owens is eligible for Canton next year?
Owens isn’t concerned about it.
During an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Thursday, T.O. said making the Hall of Fame was never his top goal.
“I understand what I’ve done on the field and it’s probably well deserving of that, but I’m being honest, it really doesn’t bother me whether I get in or not,” Owens said, as transcribed by Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. “I know a lot of people have had that conversation and said ‘Dude, stop saying that.’ I guess from a standpoint of a legacy or what my kids can really see what I’ve done, the body of work and appreciate it, then yeah, and my family. But me, personally, it really doesn’t do anything for me because I never played the game for that. I played it because I was competitive. I played it to the point that I realized my talent and I became pretty good at it. That was my motivation. I wanted to win at all costs.”
Owens is second all time among NFL receivers with 15,934 career receiving yards, third all time with 153 touchdowns and sixth all time with 1,078 receptions. He should be a lock for the Hall of Fame.
While there is plenty of off-field drama that could deter voters, T.O. has never been in any real trouble with the law. He has been threatened with jail time over unpaid child support payments and had some money issues with taxes and a woman with whom he had a very brief marriage, but that’s nothing that should keep Owens out of the Hall. It’s a no-brainer, in my opinion.
