T.O. ready for unconventional hall induction in Chattanooga
Leave it to Terrell Owens to choose to become the first person to celebrate being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame somewhere other than at the Canton, Ohio shrine.
The receiver who provided so many exhilarating and exasperating moments during one of the NFL’s most prolific careers is about 600 miles away from Canton this weekend. Hours before the other inductees are honoured, Owens will give his own acceptance speech at Chattanooga , where he played college football and basketball and ran track.
Owens announced on Twitter in June that, while “incredibly appreciative,” he wouldn’t attend the induction ceremony. Owens never shared his reasons for staying away. Less than a month later, Owens again used social media to say he’d hold his own induction ceremony in Chattanooga.
“Getcha popcorn ready!” wrote the man who once celebrated a touchdown with popcorn.
Owens said Friday in Chattanooga there’s a “flaw in that system” about how Hall of Famers are selected and he wanted
to “make a stand” for future candidates. Owens, who wasn’t selected to the Hall of Fame until his third year of eligibility, noted how grateful he was to accept this honour “right here where it all began.”
He’s been quite chatty on social media in the weeks leading up to his induction. Owens tweeted that he “wouldn’t have a PRO career if it wasn’t for Chattanooga #THISISFORYOU.”
When asked why he’s bypassing the Canton ceremony, Owens tweeted that “I don’t need to be on their stage to do it. I’ll be fine & im sure they will be too.”
Chattanooga remains a place where Owens is loved for what he accomplished well before becoming an NFL star. Owens had 2,320 career yards receiving in college and also played basketball on two NCAA Tournament teams before the San Francisco 49ers selected him in the third round of the 1996 draft.
In the NFL, Owens strung together numerous antics posing on the Dallas Cowboys’ star logo at midfield, engaging in sideline tirades - with five teams over 15 seasons. But his college coaches marveled at his work ethic and considered him fun to coach.
“First guy (on the field), last guy off,” former Chattanooga football coach Buddy Green said. “He worked hard, man. He tried to get better every practice. You’d put him on a special team, and he was the first guy down the field. He just loved to play the game. He was great to coach. He worked as hard as anybody on the field, even harder probably.”
Owens’ decision to avoid Canton has been called a mistake by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Owens’ former boss who was inducted into the Hall of Famer last year. Several former players and Hall of Famers also have criticized Owens.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame still will honour Owens as part of the weekend festivities. Owens will be part of the 2018 class exhibit with his picture on a light standard at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and his own glass locker.