Although it didn't help the Buffalo Bills much when the move was made, the signing of free agent wide receiver Terrell Owens back in 2009 was one of the biggest splash acquisitions the team had made in franchise history.
At the time, Owens was 36-years-old and at the tail-end of his career, but he was coming off a decent 2008 season with the Dallas Cowboys. In 16 games with the Bills in 2009, Owens was still productive with 55 receptions for 829 yards and five touchdowns. He also added six carries on the ground for 54 yards and a touchdown in his one season in Buffalo.
Owens went on to play one more season in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010, but was never able to step back on to the field for a regular season game after that.
It took Owens three years to be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he was eventually inducted in 2018 after a stellar 15-year NFL career with the Bills, Cowboys, Bengals, San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles. In that time, he finished third in all-time receiving yards (15,934), third in receiving touchdowns (153), and eighth in receptions (1,078).
Owens took some time on Wednesday to join Howard Simon and Jeremy White on WGR to reflect on his time in Buffalo, how he became the player he was in the NFL, and more.
Here is some of what he had to say:
Owens on signing with the Bills in 2009:
"There was a lot of speculation, even with the recruiting process of me coming to the Bills. I remember my agent at the time - we didn't have a lot of offers, obviously because of my age and things of that nature. One of the things that he came back to me with was that they can't guarantee you a starting spot. I didn't have a problem with that, and I think that was one of the concerns based on the perceptions throughout the course of my career. I never demanded through my agent or any information that I would come in and I demand the No. 1 spot and that nature. I was like, 'Is that their only concern?' He said yes, and I didn't have a problem with that. I said I'd come in, I'd work and compete for the position."
Owens on the reception he got when he first arrived in Buffalo:
"When I came off the plane and had that reception of the fans there, I was like, 'Oh my gosh. This could be better than I thought.' Obviously there had been some players that had said some not-so great things about Buffalo, but me being confident in my ability to play the game, it didn't matter where I played or who I played for. I just felt like if I got put in the right situation, I would be able to thrive."
Owens on not being brought back by the Bills in 2010:
"Honestly I was bummed considering toward the end of the season how I was progressing and people got to see what I could do once we got Ryan Fitzpatrick at the quarterback position. Talking to Alex Van Pelt, I think he was the offensive coordinator at the time, he was like, 'We want to bring you in, help bring the young guys like Trent Edwards along, kind of help him grow as a quarterback.' I was like, 'Cool. I'm all for it. Whatever you guys need me to do.' One thing just led to another, and then at the end of the year, I think Dick Jauron got replaced and they brought in Chan Gailey, and then my agent called and he said they wanted to move in a different direction. Later on, I got to thinking that this was crazy. I was very productive towards the end of the year. Stevie Johnson, Lee Evans, those guys played well, and I thought with what I showed I would be able to come back one more year and give it another go."
Owens on his development as a wide receiver through college and to the NFL:
"I was a realist about my abilities coming out of high school. If I was categorized coming out of high school to assess my talent, I honestly probably said I was a two- or three-star athlete. I think I was just fueled by knowing that I had the ability to play. I just hadn't matured from a body standpoint, just a skillset standpoint. With my desire, my dedication and my discipline, that's what enabled me to be able to do some of the things that I did that people didn't pick up on early on. I was a late bloomer.
"I just had confidence in my ability to thrive [in the NFL]. Once I learned how to play the position and understanding the West Coast Offense when I got drafted to the [49ers] in 1996, I was a sponge. I absorbed everything that I could. I had 3-4 great receiver coaches that coached me throughout the course of my career, starting in San Francisco with Larry Kirksey. Then when Larry Kirksey left after the third year, George Stewart became the receivers coach. Then I went to [Philadelphia] and there was David Cully. Then I left and went to Dallas and there was Ray Sherman. So I had a number of great coaches that recognized and that pushed me."
You can listen to the entire interview below:
