Terrell Owens has never been shy when expressing his disdain for the Pro Football Hall of Fame voting process, and he is not going to change his mind now that there is a place waiting for him in Canton.
On Thursday, Owens issued a statement announcing that he will not be attending the Hall of Fame induction ceremony next month.
Terrell Owens declined his invitation to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and released this statement: pic.twitter.com/J4P1mS6VjN
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 7, 2018
Hall of Fame CEO David Baker described Owens’ decision as “unprecedented.”
Hall of Fame CEO David Baker: “We are disappointed but will respect Terrell’s decision not to participate in the Enshrinement. While unprecedented, the (HOF), the nearly 5,000 volunteers and the entire community are committed to celebrating the excellence of the Class of 2018.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 7, 2018
It took Owens several shots to get into the Hall of Fame, and that had much more to do with his perceived attitude issues than it did with his numbers. Owens ranks second all time in receiving yards with 15,934, third in receiving touchdowns with 153 and eighth in receptions with 1,078. His numbers have always made him worthy of being inducted into Canton, and he has publicly blasted the voters on numerous occasions.
Basically, T.O. is sticking to his guns and making a point that his gripe with the Hall of Fame hasn’t ended just because he’s getting a gold jacket. He’s gone to war with the media over the process in the past, so it makes sense that he doesn’t want to do a complete 180 now.
