Post by dave on Nov 6, 2005 10:37:29 GMT
As I said months ago........an accident waiting to happen!!
Team sources have told FOXSports.com that the Eagles have suspended the outspoken All-Pro receiver indefinitely.
The decision was made after the Eagles spoke with the league office on Friday with regards to their options after Owens bashed the team again. Owens practiced on Friday and Thursday but the team decided not to play Owens anyway.
On Friday he was forced to publicly apologize for comments he made regarding the team's lack of publicly recognizing his 100th career TD catch a couple of weeks ago.
"I've had an opportunity to talk with the Eagles organization and I have learned that the team does not recognize individual achievements," Owens said in a prepared statement. "It has been brought to my attention that I have offended the organization and my teammates. Therefore, I would like to apologize for any derogatory comments toward them."
That wasn't enough, however, to save him from punishment.
Whether or not it's considered a deactivation or suspension is simply semantics at this point but the bottom line is that Owens will not play.
Head coach Andy Reid simply wants to get past this week before he makes any further decisions on Owens' future with the club. Rookie Reggie Brown is expected to start in Owens' place.
The Eagles issued a statement that said Owens was suspended "for conduct detrimental to the team." The team added that it will have no further comment.
Owens' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, refused to comment.
It's unlikely Owens will be paid for sitting out this game, though neither the team nor Rosenhaus would discuss the situation. Owens is scheduled to make $3.5 million in base salary this season, so the suspension would cost him more than $200,000 per game if it's without pay.
The collective bargaining agreement states that a player can be suspended for up to four games without pay for conduct detrimental to the team. However, the Eagles could decide to pay Owens to stay home the rest of the season.
In 2003, Tampa Bay declared wideout Keyshawn Johnson inactive for the final six games and sent him home because of differences with coach Jon Gruden. Johnson was paid his full salary.
No matter, it's clear Owens won't be back in Philadelphia next year. He already put his house in Moorestown, N.J., up for sale. The price? A measly $4.4 million.
Owens has been angry with the Eagles since management refused to redo his contract just one season into the seven-year, $48.97 million deal he signed when he came to Philadelphia in March 2004.
Terrell Owens will have to sit out Sunday's game "for conduct detrimental to the team." (Rusty Kennedy / Associated Press)
This is the second time Owens has been suspended during his controversial 10-year career. In 2000, he was suspended one game by San Francisco coach Steve Mariucci following his infamous touchdown celebrations on the Dallas Cowboys' famed star logo at the center of Texas Stadium.
Owens clashed with management this summer and earned a one-week exile from training camp after a heated dispute with coach Andy Reid, which led to a bizarre workout on his lawn in front of neighbors and reporters.
Owens got in trouble this time after taking shots at the team and quarterback Donovan McNabb in an interview with ESPN.com on Thursday.
Owens was upset there was no in-stadium acknowledgment of his 100th career TD reception in a victory over San Diego on Oct. 23. An announcement was made in the press box.
"That right there just shows you the type of class and integrity that they claim not to be," said Owens, who became the sixth receiver in NFL history to reach the milestone. "They claim to be first class and the best organization. It's an embarrassment. It just shows a lack of class they have. My publicist talked to the head PR guy, and they made an excuse they didn't recognize that was coming up. But that was a blatant lie. Had it been somebody else, they probably would have popped fireworks around the stadium."
Owens also said the Eagles would be undefeated with Green Bay's Brett Favre at quarterback.
"A number of commentators will say he's a warrior, he's played with injuries," Owens said, referring to Favre. "I feel like him being knowledgeable about the quarterback position, I feel like we'd probably be in a better situation."
Owens said on his radio show he merely was agreeing with the opinion of Michael Irvin, the former Dallas wideout and current ESPN broadcaster.
"This is one I really regret," Owens said of the interview, adding that some clips were taken out of context. "I said earlier in the interview that we would have a better record if Donovan wasn't injured."
Owens previously said on his radio show that he'd prefer to play with Indianapolis' Peyton Manning over McNabb or any quarterback. Last year, Owens couldn't stop praising McNabb after joining the Eagles following eight seasons in San Francisco.
But their relationship soured after Owens took a verbal swipe at McNabb's performance in Philadelphia's loss to New England in the Super Bowl. McNabb responded harshly and the two feuded throughout the summer, not speaking to each other for a prolonged period.
McNabb, a five-time Pro Bowl quarterback who has led the Eagles to four consecutive NFC championship games, has played through several injuries this season, including a sports hernia that will require surgery. He has thrown for 2,034 yards, 15 TDs and seven interceptions while going through some tough stretches.
Owens has 47 catches for 763 yards and six TDs this season
The decision was made after the Eagles spoke with the league office on Friday with regards to their options after Owens bashed the team again. Owens practiced on Friday and Thursday but the team decided not to play Owens anyway.
On Friday he was forced to publicly apologize for comments he made regarding the team's lack of publicly recognizing his 100th career TD catch a couple of weeks ago.
"I've had an opportunity to talk with the Eagles organization and I have learned that the team does not recognize individual achievements," Owens said in a prepared statement. "It has been brought to my attention that I have offended the organization and my teammates. Therefore, I would like to apologize for any derogatory comments toward them."
That wasn't enough, however, to save him from punishment.
Whether or not it's considered a deactivation or suspension is simply semantics at this point but the bottom line is that Owens will not play.
Head coach Andy Reid simply wants to get past this week before he makes any further decisions on Owens' future with the club. Rookie Reggie Brown is expected to start in Owens' place.
The Eagles issued a statement that said Owens was suspended "for conduct detrimental to the team." The team added that it will have no further comment.
Owens' agent, Drew Rosenhaus, refused to comment.
It's unlikely Owens will be paid for sitting out this game, though neither the team nor Rosenhaus would discuss the situation. Owens is scheduled to make $3.5 million in base salary this season, so the suspension would cost him more than $200,000 per game if it's without pay.
The collective bargaining agreement states that a player can be suspended for up to four games without pay for conduct detrimental to the team. However, the Eagles could decide to pay Owens to stay home the rest of the season.
In 2003, Tampa Bay declared wideout Keyshawn Johnson inactive for the final six games and sent him home because of differences with coach Jon Gruden. Johnson was paid his full salary.
No matter, it's clear Owens won't be back in Philadelphia next year. He already put his house in Moorestown, N.J., up for sale. The price? A measly $4.4 million.
Owens has been angry with the Eagles since management refused to redo his contract just one season into the seven-year, $48.97 million deal he signed when he came to Philadelphia in March 2004.
Terrell Owens will have to sit out Sunday's game "for conduct detrimental to the team." (Rusty Kennedy / Associated Press)
This is the second time Owens has been suspended during his controversial 10-year career. In 2000, he was suspended one game by San Francisco coach Steve Mariucci following his infamous touchdown celebrations on the Dallas Cowboys' famed star logo at the center of Texas Stadium.
Owens clashed with management this summer and earned a one-week exile from training camp after a heated dispute with coach Andy Reid, which led to a bizarre workout on his lawn in front of neighbors and reporters.
Owens got in trouble this time after taking shots at the team and quarterback Donovan McNabb in an interview with ESPN.com on Thursday.
Owens was upset there was no in-stadium acknowledgment of his 100th career TD reception in a victory over San Diego on Oct. 23. An announcement was made in the press box.
"That right there just shows you the type of class and integrity that they claim not to be," said Owens, who became the sixth receiver in NFL history to reach the milestone. "They claim to be first class and the best organization. It's an embarrassment. It just shows a lack of class they have. My publicist talked to the head PR guy, and they made an excuse they didn't recognize that was coming up. But that was a blatant lie. Had it been somebody else, they probably would have popped fireworks around the stadium."
Owens also said the Eagles would be undefeated with Green Bay's Brett Favre at quarterback.
"A number of commentators will say he's a warrior, he's played with injuries," Owens said, referring to Favre. "I feel like him being knowledgeable about the quarterback position, I feel like we'd probably be in a better situation."
Owens said on his radio show he merely was agreeing with the opinion of Michael Irvin, the former Dallas wideout and current ESPN broadcaster.
"This is one I really regret," Owens said of the interview, adding that some clips were taken out of context. "I said earlier in the interview that we would have a better record if Donovan wasn't injured."
Owens previously said on his radio show that he'd prefer to play with Indianapolis' Peyton Manning over McNabb or any quarterback. Last year, Owens couldn't stop praising McNabb after joining the Eagles following eight seasons in San Francisco.
But their relationship soured after Owens took a verbal swipe at McNabb's performance in Philadelphia's loss to New England in the Super Bowl. McNabb responded harshly and the two feuded throughout the summer, not speaking to each other for a prolonged period.
McNabb, a five-time Pro Bowl quarterback who has led the Eagles to four consecutive NFC championship games, has played through several injuries this season, including a sports hernia that will require surgery. He has thrown for 2,034 yards, 15 TDs and seven interceptions while going through some tough stretches.
Owens has 47 catches for 763 yards and six TDs this season