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Kansas City Chiefs May Take Terrell Owens
Three months ago, when Dick Vermeil occupied the large fourth-floor office at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs said they absolutely, positively had no interest in embattled receiver Terrell Owens.
That icy stance has changed.
Chiefs president/general manager Carl Peterson told The Star on Tuesday that Kansas City was “somewhat interested” in Owens and that Peterson planned to have an in-depth conversation with new coach Herm Edwards about the possibility of acquiring the five-time Pro Bowler.
Two things have apparently piqued the Chiefs’ interest — the hope of a possible attitude makeover after Owens’ suspension by the Eagles, and Edwards’ success in working with difficult players.
Edwards, who stresses a team-first mentality, was able to work his magic on the likes of Warren Sapp in Tampa Bay and Ty Law in New York. He’d have his hands full with Owens, who was suspended by the Eagles in November after he repeatedly criticized his team, the front office and quarterback Donovan McNabb.
“I’ve always felt Herm has the ability to bridge the gap between a lot of players,” Peterson said, “whether they’re black or white, whether they’re offense or defense or special teams, whether they’re superstars or backup players. I think that’s one of his strengths.
“Now, based on that, certainly I will have this conversation with him, and I’m sure there are other teams in the NFL who will do the same thing. But there are a lot of things that would go into it, and at the end of the day, we both may very well decide this is not the right path in which to try and follow.”
Owens has five seasons left on his contract, but the Eagles recently gave his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, permission to seek a trade. Owens reportedly visited Denver on Monday in what was called a getting-acquainted session. If no team bites on a trade, the Eagles are expected to cut Owens next month; he is due more than $7 million from Philadelphia if he’s on the roster after March 1.
The Chiefs probably will wait to see whether Owens is cut. A source familiar with the situation told The Star that an incentive-laden, one-year deal would be a possibility.
Reached on his cell phone, Rosenhaus said he had no comment on Owens’ interest in the Chiefs. “I can’t,” he said. The source indicated, however, that Rosenhaus has approached the Chiefs to gauge their interest in his client.
On the surface, Kansas City would appear to be a good fit for Owens. The Chiefs have a veteran locker room and a high-powered offense with just one hole — a big-play, marquee receiver. Eddie Kennison, who recently turned 33, is the closest the Chiefs have. He has put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, but Kansas City’s wideout production drops dramatically from there.
Before his suspension, Owens torched the Chiefs for 171 yards in a 37-31 loss to the Eagles last October. After the game, he chortled, “Can’t stop me … can’t stop me … can’t stop me,” in the Arrowhead Stadium locker room.
Owens is one of just six receivers in NFL history to score 100 touchdowns. He helped Philadelphia make the Super Bowl in his first season there in 2004. But things went downhill the following spring, when Owens took a jab at McNabb by saying McNabb got tired in the Super Bowl.
Then came a contract dispute with the Eagles, and more shots at McNabb and the organization. In two different NFL cities, Owens, who entered the league in San Francisco in 1996, has been known as much for his antics as his play. As a young 49er, he was suspended and fined more than $24,000 after celebrating on the Cowboys’ star at Texas Stadium. A few years later, he pulled out a Sharpie after a touchdown.
The Chiefs and a handful of other teams are hoping Owens’ time away from football has made him contrite. Owens recently seemed humbled and soft-spoken in an unscripted commercial for Boost Mobile during the playoffs. He indicated his three months away from football had made him hungry.
“Like everybody, you have to respect his on-the-field talent,” Peterson said. “The guy is the best. But he’s missed half the season, he’s going to be a year older …
“I think what may have changed, and what I hope has changed, is the ultimate attitude of Terrell Owens. Now that he’s had a chance to step back and reflect on what has happened, how it happened and what type of reaction it had … Maybe he can say, ‘I screwed up.’ ”
Source: Kansas City Star
That icy stance has changed.
Chiefs president/general manager Carl Peterson told The Star on Tuesday that Kansas City was “somewhat interested” in Owens and that Peterson planned to have an in-depth conversation with new coach Herm Edwards about the possibility of acquiring the five-time Pro Bowler.
Two things have apparently piqued the Chiefs’ interest — the hope of a possible attitude makeover after Owens’ suspension by the Eagles, and Edwards’ success in working with difficult players.
Edwards, who stresses a team-first mentality, was able to work his magic on the likes of Warren Sapp in Tampa Bay and Ty Law in New York. He’d have his hands full with Owens, who was suspended by the Eagles in November after he repeatedly criticized his team, the front office and quarterback Donovan McNabb.
“I’ve always felt Herm has the ability to bridge the gap between a lot of players,” Peterson said, “whether they’re black or white, whether they’re offense or defense or special teams, whether they’re superstars or backup players. I think that’s one of his strengths.
“Now, based on that, certainly I will have this conversation with him, and I’m sure there are other teams in the NFL who will do the same thing. But there are a lot of things that would go into it, and at the end of the day, we both may very well decide this is not the right path in which to try and follow.”
Owens has five seasons left on his contract, but the Eagles recently gave his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, permission to seek a trade. Owens reportedly visited Denver on Monday in what was called a getting-acquainted session. If no team bites on a trade, the Eagles are expected to cut Owens next month; he is due more than $7 million from Philadelphia if he’s on the roster after March 1.
The Chiefs probably will wait to see whether Owens is cut. A source familiar with the situation told The Star that an incentive-laden, one-year deal would be a possibility.
Reached on his cell phone, Rosenhaus said he had no comment on Owens’ interest in the Chiefs. “I can’t,” he said. The source indicated, however, that Rosenhaus has approached the Chiefs to gauge their interest in his client.
On the surface, Kansas City would appear to be a good fit for Owens. The Chiefs have a veteran locker room and a high-powered offense with just one hole — a big-play, marquee receiver. Eddie Kennison, who recently turned 33, is the closest the Chiefs have. He has put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, but Kansas City’s wideout production drops dramatically from there.
Before his suspension, Owens torched the Chiefs for 171 yards in a 37-31 loss to the Eagles last October. After the game, he chortled, “Can’t stop me … can’t stop me … can’t stop me,” in the Arrowhead Stadium locker room.
Owens is one of just six receivers in NFL history to score 100 touchdowns. He helped Philadelphia make the Super Bowl in his first season there in 2004. But things went downhill the following spring, when Owens took a jab at McNabb by saying McNabb got tired in the Super Bowl.
Then came a contract dispute with the Eagles, and more shots at McNabb and the organization. In two different NFL cities, Owens, who entered the league in San Francisco in 1996, has been known as much for his antics as his play. As a young 49er, he was suspended and fined more than $24,000 after celebrating on the Cowboys’ star at Texas Stadium. A few years later, he pulled out a Sharpie after a touchdown.
The Chiefs and a handful of other teams are hoping Owens’ time away from football has made him contrite. Owens recently seemed humbled and soft-spoken in an unscripted commercial for Boost Mobile during the playoffs. He indicated his three months away from football had made him hungry.
“Like everybody, you have to respect his on-the-field talent,” Peterson said. “The guy is the best. But he’s missed half the season, he’s going to be a year older …
“I think what may have changed, and what I hope has changed, is the ultimate attitude of Terrell Owens. Now that he’s had a chance to step back and reflect on what has happened, how it happened and what type of reaction it had … Maybe he can say, ‘I screwed up.’ ”
Source: Kansas City Star