It’s been more than a decade since he last took the field, but Terrell Owens is ready to step in should Tom Brady come calling.
Owens, 48, said on his podcast on Tuesday that he “absolutely” could replace Antonio Brown and help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the postseason.
“At the end of the day, I know that I can do it,” Owens said.” When you think about this country and what it’s based off of, we are supposed to be a country of second, third, whatever chances. Look at the chances AB had … Who’s to say that I can’t go out there and do it?”
Could T.O. really join the Bucs?
Owens’ suggestion that he could hop in and join the Buccaneers on a whim is honestly pretty far-fetched. He’s nearly 50 years old and hasn’t played since 2010.
But the list of former receivers that are still in shape —Owens said he has been “working out the course of this entire season” after an unnamed team owner told him to be prepared earlier this fall — is incredibly small. Owens would be near the top of it.
Owens played in the league from 1996-2010, and racked up 15,934 receiving yards and 153 touchdowns throughout his career. The six-time Pro Bowler had nine 1,000-yard seasons, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Owens said he reached out to a few people to “state his case” for helping the Buccaneers, though it’s unclear how far that went or if the team would even be interested in him even with their issues at receiver.
on Sunday after stripping off his equipment and shirt, which marked just the latest issue Brown has faced in recent years. Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin underwent surgery to repair his ACL and MCL on Monday, too, and is out for the year.
As ridiculous as the idea may sound, and Owens gets that people would be doubting his comeback, he’d only be needed for a handful of plays in a few playoff games. That, he said, is completely doable.
“If you think about where they are in the season, they don’t need me for a 16-game season,” Owens said. “Three to four games at the max. So, yes, I feel like I can go in, I can contribute at a high level and can be productive.”