SAN FRANCISCO -- Despite sitting near the top of almost every important career record for a wide receiver, Terrell Owens is not going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year in eligibility.
Unless Owens is being a bad teammate on Twitter and tricking everyone anyway:
Unfortunately I did not make it. CONGRATS to the 2016 HOF CLASS. Thanks to ALL MY FANS for ur unwavering love & support. #ONLYGODCANJUDGEME
— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) February 7, 2016
Frankly it's a little ridiculous for Owens not to be in the Hall of Fame right away.
He's sixth all time in catches, second all time in receiving yards and third all time in receiving touchdowns. You watched Owens play and you knew he was a dominant receiver capable of taking over a game.
Was Owens' behavior off the field a problem? Sure. Was he a bad teammate? Most of the time, yeah. Was he the embodiment of the diva receiver? Absolutely. But he was also a really freaking good football player.
And getting in the Hall of Fame isn't about being a great person, it's about being a great football player.
Owens bounced around with a bunch of teams, playing for the 49ers (eight years), Cowboys (three years), Eagles (two years), Bills (one year) and Bengals (one year) before failing to latch on with the Seahawks. He was tough to deal with and as a result he was always considered a bad teammate.
It clearly cost him a shot at Canton in his first time up for the Hall.
