Unlike most NFL legends, Terrell Owens didn’t enter football immortality on the manicured lawns of Canton, Ohio. There was no parade of gold jackets or standing ovation from the league’s power brokers. Instead, seven years ago, Owens did what he’s done his entire career: he bet on himself.
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On August 4, 2018, rather than attending the official Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony, the six-time Pro Bowler and third all-time leader in receiving touchdowns hosted his own event, on his own terms, at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, his alma mater.
This wasn’t just a rebellious act. It was a statement aimed at a system Terrell Owens believed was rigged by bias and narrative, rather than merit. “I choose not to live in regret,” T.O. said during his 40-minute speech that day. “I will leave a legacy that will leave an imprint on this world forever.”
Why did he take this unique step? Well, for starters, Owens had waited three years for the honor, an unusually long time for a player with his resume: 15,934 receiving yards (No. 3 all-time), 153 touchdowns (No. 3 all-time), and countless unforgettable moments. But the delay alone wasn’t pivotal to sway his decision to skip Canton. It was also about his principles.
At the time, Owens said the Hall’s voter system, mostly made up of media members, was “not in alignment with the mission and core values of the Hall of Fame.” He felt mischaracterized by those outside the locker room as selfish and divisive, and said the selection process had turned into a popularity contest.
“People bought into what the media told them, and I’m not that guy,” the former wideout later explained. “So I had to harbour all these feelings all these years, and this is the way I wanted to do it.”
Now, seven years later, Owens took to Instagram to reflect on that moment with pride and a little validation.
“7 YEARS AGO TODAY AUGUST 4TH…@espn said that nobody was gonna show up because of the pushed narrative that I was arrogant, selfish, not a team player, blah blah blah. Shidddddd… PEEP THE FIRST SLIDE. 3500+ almost 4,000 people! GOD IS GREAT.” T.O. wrote alongside a highlight reel from the event.
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The arena in Chattanooga was indeed packed with people who knew him, believed in him, and stood with him. From fans and former coaches to family, and even a few who once doubted him.
Notably, Ray Sherman and Larry Kirksey, Owens’ former receivers coaches, spoke at the event. Even the university’s basketball coach and play-by-play announcer took the mic, poking fun at some of the ex-Eagles star’s more notorious on-field antics — the Sharpie, the driveway sit-ups, the popcorn celebrations — but doing so with affection and respect.
The most powerful moment, however, came when Owens asked the crowd to stand if they’d ever been outcast, misunderstood, or lied about. As expected, the entire arena rose to its feet.
Simply put, T.O. didn’t just induct himself into the Hall of Fame that day. He invited in everyone who’d ever been told they didn’t belong.
So naturally, looking back, Owens has no regrets. “RESPECTFULLY, I DID IT MY WAY,” as he puts it. And it’s hard to argue with that!
