Former NFL receiving star Owens activates window with Eskimos
EDMONTON — Terrell Owens isn’t finished with football just yet.
According to a Canadian Football League source, the former National Football League receiver has activated a 10-day window to receive a contract offer from the Edmonton Eskimos by July 24 or force them to relinquish his rights.
The 44-year-old Owens, who last played pro football in 2010, has been on Edmonton’s 45-man negotiation list since June 19.
Edmonton could offer Owens a two-year deal at $54,000 annually, the CFL minimum. If Owens rejected it, the Eskimos would retain his rights for another year.
Edmonton could trade Owens’ rights or opt against making him an offer within the 10-day period, which would result in his name being removed from their negotiation list. That would allow another team to place him on their negotiation list and effectively restart the whole process.
Owens recently released a video of him running a 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds.
Owens was named for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next month but declined an invitation to the enshrinement ceremony. Instead, Owens plans to deliver his speech at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, his alma mater, Aug. 4.
He was selected in the third round, No. 89 overall, in the 1996 NFL draft by San Francisco.
He played for five teams — the 49ers, Philadelphia, Dallas, Buffalo and Cincinnati — over 16 seasons, registering
1,078 career catches for 15,934 yards and 153 TDs.
He’s ranked second all-time in receiving yards and third in receiving touchdowns. He was a five-time first-team All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler.
In 2012, Owens had 35 catches for 420 yards and 10 TDs in eight games with the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks during training camp that year but was released.