Terrell Owens inks 1-year, $6.5M deal with the Buffalo Bills

**Terminator** · 03-10-09, 07:55 PM

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Terrell Owens needed only two days to find another place to play.
The Buffalo Bills decided to take a chance on the talented but high-maintenance receiver, signing Owens to a $6.5 million, one-year deal Saturday. ESPN.com's John Clayton broke the story on Saturday.
Owens, 35, caught 69 passes for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns last season with Dallas. But the Cowboys were looking to improve the atmosphere in the locker room and decided they would be better off without him.
"I'm leaving America's team [for] North America's team," Owens said at a news conference.
The Bills will be Owens' fourth stop. He started with San Francisco, bounced to Philadelphia -- where he helped the Eagles get to a Super Bowl -- and then to Dallas.
"I must move on, and it's another beginning for me," Owens said. "If I can be that extra added piece to get them to the playoffs, then that's what I'm here for. I looked at the defensive side of ball and offensive side of the ball, and these guys have all the pieces."
The Bills were in need of a receiver to take the pressure off Lee Evans. They got one of the biggest names out there.
"We all know of his tremendous ability and look forward to what he will bring to our offense," Bills owner Ralph Wilson said in a statement. "This is a very exciting day for the Buffalo Bills."
Owens, a six-time Pro Bowler, is among the NFL's career leaders in catches, yards and touchdowns. Over the last three years, his 38 touchdowns are one more than Randy Moss and he's among the league's best in catches, yards, yard per catch and yards per game.
He's coming off the ninth 1,000-yard receiving season in the last 11 years.
"We got one of the premier playmakers in a playmakers league," Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon said.
For the Bills, the signing is their biggest splash since acquiring quarterback Drew Bledsoe in a trade in 2002. Team officials flew to Miami Saturday morning, flew back to Buffalo with Owens and agent Drew Rosenhaus, and signed the deal in the late afternoon at Bills headquarters.
"'Wow!' was my first reaction," Evans said. "I know we were looking at some different receivers out there. When he was cut by the Cowboys, I didn't know if we were going to make the move for him or not. We did and it worked out. I'm very excited for everybody."
The question now is how T.O. will deal with Trent Edwards, who is only entering his second full year as starter. Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo have all had dicey relationships with Owens. Edwards isn't nearly as accomplished as any of those players and the Bills' offense has been abysmal in recent years.
"I am really excited about the addition of Terrell Owens to our team," Edwards said. "We spoke earlier and both look forward to working hard this offseason. We share the common goal of winning football games. His ability and experience will add to our offense and the weapons we already have."
The Bills were 25th in the NFL in yards gained and failed to have a 300-yard passer. Buffalo has ranked 25th or lower in each of the past six seasons in total offense.
"I'm looking forward to getting together with Trent, Lee and the guys and putting some points on the board," Owens said. "That's what I've done everywhere I've been, and it's going to continue."
Coach Dick Jauron has often complained about the Bills' lack of scoring punch, but this represents a serious change in philosophy for a team that in the past has tried to avoid taking on disruptive locker room personalities.
Owens, though, isn't worried about his perceived selfishness in Dallas.
"That's all hearsay," Owens said. "If you look at all the comments coming from my teammates with the Cowboys the last three years, it's all been positive. Prior to that, I really don't want to get into it."
Owens becomes the Bills fourth free agent addition this offseason. Buffalo has also signed cornerback Drayton Florence, backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and former Panthers offensive lineman Geoff Hangartner.

**TXCharlie** · 03-10-09, 08:41 PM

At least he's doing it somewhere else now... Hopefully the rest of the team will follow suit and FEMA will use the new taxpayer-subsidized $1 Billion Cowboy Stadium to house leftover Katrina refugees.

**jmur5074** · 03-10-09, 08:42 PM

As a Cowboys fan, I'd like to send a message to the Bills fans..

GOOD LUCK!

**Second Chance** · 03-10-09, 09:26 PM

I was alittle surprised, thought for sure he was headed for Oakland. But at least the Bills were smart enough to only sign him for one year........................

**Bob Loblaw** · 03-10-09, 09:35 PM

The odd thing about TO is that this isn't the typical "money-hungry athlete behaving badly" type of deal...he understands he should be making $10-13 mil+ per season, but that his mouth makes it where teams can't entrust him to a long-term deal (cause he wears his welcome out midway through year 2 EVERY TIME). The way he looks at it, and this is the God's honest truth, is that he gives up a certain amount of money in exchange for the right to act the way he wants to act...like it's a $7 mil fee he's paying to not be a "shoeshining, tap-dancing monkey (his words, not mine)" and that it's worth every penny in his mind.

No athlete has ever intrigued me like TO. And I have never met an athlete who needed therapy more than TO. Do some reading up on his background (it's really, really sad), and that gives you a bit of insight into why he acts the way he acts. Of all the athletes I've met, he is, beyond any sliver of doubt, the most insecure. That's part of what's driven him. I've never seen a guy bust it so hard in practice, in the film room and in the weight room (I've been told Michael Irvin was the same way). He goes full speed in practice, and just doesn't understand when teammates don't do the same. What drives him is that he's trying to define his self worth on the field. He was dirt-ass poor and told constantly that he'd never amount to anything. when he found football, it was like Will Hunting finding a math book - something he was put on this earth to do. God crafted him for one purpose...playing ball. He's very weird in his mood swings. Sometimes, he's the "I'm the top of the world, best receiver in the history of football, so good luck covering me" guy you're familiar with. Other times, he seems convinced that he's going to get cut...no shit. One minute, he wants to blend in as just another guy on the roster. Next minute, he's the ultimate "me first" athlete of the 21st Century. If you spend any time around these guys, you get a sense of who's "persona" is BS (Emmitt Smith, to name one in particlar) and who's is real. But I really, honestly don't think anyone on earth knows who the real Terrell is except for TO. And that's because he doesn't want you to know. He'd rather wear a mask for the public so that he may hide his true feelings of self loathing and hatred. He truly is a mystery, wrapped in enigma, smothered in secret sauce.

**Terminator** · 03-10-09, 09:38 PM

^ Time for a restraining order, T.O.

**jmur5074** · 03-10-09, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by Terminator

^ Time for a restraining order, T.O.

No shit.

Good lord Bob, put the binocs down.

**Terminator** · 03-10-09, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by jmur5074

No shit.

Good lord Bob, put the binocs down.

He's using those binoc's to catch a peek of T.O.'s teeny peeny.

**Bob Loblaw** · 03-10-09, 10:57 PM

I'm using night vision....he does NOT have a glowing blue wang.

**swaggon** · 03-10-09, 11:25 PM

"He truly is a mystery, wrapped in enigma, smothered in secret sauce." I have no clue what the hell that means but I would rather it have a ten code so I never say it aloud again.

**Bob Loblaw** · 03-11-09, 12:24 AM

I know that was a little "rambly," but the point of the post was this: TO is definitely a selfish douchebag, but it is incorrect to label him a "typical NFL selfish douchebag." The name of the game in the NFL is confidence. No kidding...the shittiest special teamer thinks (and believes) in his heart of hearts that he is the best player on the team without a doubt. And that level of confidence is what drives 99% of the players in the league to success. But what drives TO is a strange alternate reality: one where he isn't a dominant player, but one where he has to prove himself snap to snap because he's convinced he still has to make his name as a playmaker because he really doesn't believe he's very good. There's nothing typical about him...he is a serious major league head case.

**Shoestring** · 03-11-09, 12:44 AM

He might be a tool but he is still a great player.

What happened to Randy Moss, now that guy was a tool on the field but his life style is actually really well behaved and clean. I hated him when he played our team but he was a great player too

**Terminator** · 03-11-09, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Shoestring

What happened to Randy Moss, now that guy was a tool on the field but his life style is actually really well behaved and clean.

Yeah. Like the time he ran over the traffic cop.

**jmur5074** · 03-11-09, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Terminator

Yeah. Like the time he ran over the traffic cop.

Or an admission to smoking marijuana
Or the possession of marijuana charge that came from when he hit the traffic cop
or when he "mooned" the Green Bay fans.

Randy Moss is a prick.

**Terminator** · 03-11-09, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by jmur5074

Or an admission to smoking marijuana
Or the possession of marijuana charge that came from when he hit the traffic cop
or when he "mooned" the Green Bay fans.

Randy Moss is a prick.

Well, I was going with the one that most hits home being we're cops, but, he gets the idea now.