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Jimmy Johnson Says Terrell Owens Is No Longer a Great Player
By Larry DiTore
Jan. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The Dallas Cowboys may be better off without outspoken wide receiver Terrell Owens, according to a former coach who led the team to two Super Bowl wins.
Owens, a six-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time All-Pro, is no longer the “great player” he once was and his behavior may be more hindrance than help, said Jimmy Johnson, who led the Cowboys to National Football League titles after the 1992 and 1993 seasons.
“He used to be an outstanding player, a great player,” Johnson said in an interview with Bloomberg Radio’s “On the Ball” program airing tomorrow. “He is still a good player, but you have to weigh the distractions and whether or not he divides the locker room and the problems that he has.”
ESPN reported this week that the team is considering releasing Owens during the offseason.
The 35-year-old Owens, who ranks second in NFL history with 139 career touchdowns catches, complained about his role in the offense during the Cowboys’ 9-7 season after Dallas was picked as a Super Bowl favorite in some preseason predictions.
Owens had 69 catches for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns this season while appearing in all 16 games for Dallas, down from the 1,355 yards and 15 touchdowns from the previous year.
Owens clashed with former Cowboys coach Bill Parcells after signing with the team in 2006. He was rushed to the hospital after an adverse reaction to prescription painkillers and supplements in September of that year, denying initial media reports that he attempted suicide.
McNabb Clash
Prior to joining the Cowboys, Owens was banned from the Philadelphia Eagles midway through the 2005 season for criticizing quarterback Donovan McNabb. He clashed with quarterback Jeff Garcia when they were teammates on the San Francisco 49ers.
“You’ve got to look and you’ve got to weigh what he contributes to the team,” said Johnson, now an NFL pregame analyst for New Corp.’s Fox network. ‘Without question, if you have Terrell Owens on your team, it keeps your team in the headlines, but I don’t know that he’s a great player right now.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Larry DiTore in New York at lditore@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: January 16, 2009 11:39 EST
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=afwyNFWMCUT8&refer=amsports
By Larry DiTore
Jan. 16 (Bloomberg) -- The Dallas Cowboys may be better off without outspoken wide receiver Terrell Owens, according to a former coach who led the team to two Super Bowl wins.
Owens, a six-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time All-Pro, is no longer the “great player” he once was and his behavior may be more hindrance than help, said Jimmy Johnson, who led the Cowboys to National Football League titles after the 1992 and 1993 seasons.
“He used to be an outstanding player, a great player,” Johnson said in an interview with Bloomberg Radio’s “On the Ball” program airing tomorrow. “He is still a good player, but you have to weigh the distractions and whether or not he divides the locker room and the problems that he has.”
ESPN reported this week that the team is considering releasing Owens during the offseason.
The 35-year-old Owens, who ranks second in NFL history with 139 career touchdowns catches, complained about his role in the offense during the Cowboys’ 9-7 season after Dallas was picked as a Super Bowl favorite in some preseason predictions.
Owens had 69 catches for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns this season while appearing in all 16 games for Dallas, down from the 1,355 yards and 15 touchdowns from the previous year.
Owens clashed with former Cowboys coach Bill Parcells after signing with the team in 2006. He was rushed to the hospital after an adverse reaction to prescription painkillers and supplements in September of that year, denying initial media reports that he attempted suicide.
McNabb Clash
Prior to joining the Cowboys, Owens was banned from the Philadelphia Eagles midway through the 2005 season for criticizing quarterback Donovan McNabb. He clashed with quarterback Jeff Garcia when they were teammates on the San Francisco 49ers.
“You’ve got to look and you’ve got to weigh what he contributes to the team,” said Johnson, now an NFL pregame analyst for New Corp.’s Fox network. ‘Without question, if you have Terrell Owens on your team, it keeps your team in the headlines, but I don’t know that he’s a great player right now.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Larry DiTore in New York at lditore@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: January 16, 2009 11:39 EST
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=afwyNFWMCUT8&refer=amsports
