Terrell Owens, former NFL wide-receiver, wants to be in the Hall of Fame like any other player. But the way he’s making his case is a bit unique.
“I know for a fact there are guys that are in the Hall of Fame that have had off-the-field issues with law enforcement: DUIs, domestic violence, and all types of things,” he said in the TMZ video. He didn’t name names, though.
Owens said that the voting board, which includes sports journalists from cities with NFL teams, chooses players partially on character. He thought some of those guys “should have been questioned,” if he himself was going be judged for his off-the-field problems.
By the way, he referred vaguely to his past, which had “little issues here and there.” Owens, 42, was a legitimately great wide receiver in the NFL, but his career was marred with problems: friction with teammates on the Philadelphia Eagles, that time he was fined for spitting on a cornerback (Owens said it was an accident), that reported hydrocodone overdose, those problems with paying child support…
Owens last played in 2012, for the Seattle Seahawks. But players must be retired for at least five years before the voting board can choose them to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.
Owens is one of sports media’s favorite punching bags. He fears his poor relationships with them will hinder his chances of being inducted into to the NFL Hall of Fame.
But his comment comes at a time when more attention than ever is put on football players’ off-the-field “issues.” And man, there is a lot of alleged domestic violence among NFL players. That includes the Cowboys’ Greg Hardy, the Viking’s Adrian Peterson, and the Ravens’ Ray Rice, who was caught on tape beating up his wife.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, domestic violence is an underreported crime, so who knows how many wife-beaters got football’s highest honor.
[image via screengrab]
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