The legend conducting a wide-ranging conference call with 49ers media.
The San Francisco 49ers announced on Wednesday that Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens will be inducted into the franchise’s Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. Hall of Fame this fall. Following the announcement, TO conducted a conference call with 49ers local media. He had a wide-ranging conversation that lasted nearly 35 minutes. We’ve got timestamps below, and you can listen to audio here.
It’s a real fun interview, in part because we got to hear TO talk about his time with the 49ers in a manner we haven’t really heard much of over the years. He talked about how important Dwight Clark (49ers director of football of operations at the time) was in him coming to the team. He talked about his appreciation for Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Brent Jones, and others.
TO offered some details about his departure from the team and what changed his perception. As some will recall, his contract included an opportunity to void remaining years and become a free agent. There was a snafu when his agent did not submit the paperwork on time. It led to bad blood, and while TO was expected to leave once the deal was voided, the back-and-forth during that snafu were a part of the problem. TO said that time heals all wounds (although he still holds a grudge against Steve Mariucci), and as he has matured he has moved past that.
Owens’ induction will include the creation of a statue for the Hall of Fame at Levi’s Stadium. He said there will be a process in which he is presented with some images to figure out what best represents himself and the 49ers. I think Oscar Aparicio summed it up best, we need to see him doing the celebration on the Cowboys’ midfield star. Imagine a statue that permanently memorializes him standing on the Cowboys’ star with his arms outstretched? This seems like a perfect, win-win opportunity.
TO also talked about the current 49ers and likes where they can go with some pieces around Jimmy Garoppolo. Speaking of which, he also discussed the 2019 NFL Draft and which prospect reminds him of himself. He sees Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf as a guy who looks like him during his peak in terms of the combination of size and speed. He couldn’t run a 4.3 40, but he also was a work in progress in which he improved his craft and body as his NFL career developed.
It’s an interesting interview, and I’d recommend giving the whole thing a listen. You can listen to the audio here, and below are the time stamps.
00:13 – How it all came about
03:25 – Dwight Clark and what he meant to TO’s career
08:01 – How he and the 49ers patched things up over the years
11:55 – If Steve Mariucci reaching out to bury the hatchet
14:27 – What he’d like for his statue in the 49ers’ Hall of Fame
15:29 – Message to the current 49ers roster
18:06 – Plans to be in Santa Clara for the ceremony
19:23 – Thoughts on being back with the 49ers for a weekend
23:45 – Draft prospects that remind him of himself
27:33 – At his peak what he would run a 40 in
30:24 – Message to 49ers fans
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