The Cincinnati Bengals officially brought
controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens into the fold on Thursday, signing a
previously reported one-year contract.
It was reported earlier that the deal is worth up to $4 million, with $2
million guaranteed.
"The addition of Terrell brings another accomplished and productive player to
our offensive team," said head coach Marvin Lewis. "When you add his kind of
threat to your passing game, it helps your running game, too, because defenses
have to account for it. We've witnessed it as a defense playing against him.
We've been through the process of trying to prevent it."
Owens spent the last season in Buffalo, catching 55 passes for 829 yards and
five touchdowns in 15 games. He spent the previous three seasons in
Dallas and the two before that with Philadelphia, all while often getting
caught up in public locker room spats, but also producing as one of the
league's top receivers.
The five-year run with Dallas and Philadelphia saw Owens notch 1,000-
yard seasons and double-digit touchdown receptions in all but one of
those years. The Eagles suspended or left Owens inactive for the final nine
games of the 2005 season because of constant problems with the team's front
office, coach Andy Reid and teammates.
A six-time Pro Bowl selection and third-round draft choice of the 49ers in
1996, Owens played in San Francisco for eight seasons before joining the
Eagles for the 2004 campaign.
In 205 career games spanning 14 years in the league, Owens has established
himself as one of the best receivers of all-time. He ranks third in NFL annals
with 14,951 receiving yards and 144 touchdowns receptions, while ranking sixth
in catches with 1,006.
©2010 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
