RENTON, WASH. (AP) - Terrell Owens is coming back to the NFL, hoping the Seattle Seahawks’ search for another veteran wide receiver will get him off the sidelines.
The 38-year-old Owens had a tryout with the Seahawks on Monday morning, and hours later the team announced it had agreed to terms with the former star receiver. He hasn’t played in the NFL since the 2010 season with Cincinnati, when he caught 72 passes for 983 yards and nine touchdowns.
Foxsports.com first reported the agreement between Owens and the Seahawks. Terms of Owens’ contract weren’t available.
Owens sat out the entire 2011 season following surgery on his left knee and failed to receive any offers. He then had surgery on his left knee and didn’t receive any offers to play last season.
Owens initially made his return this spring playing for the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League. He had 35 catches for 420 yards and 10 touchdowns while playing eight of 11 games, but was released and lost an ownership stake in the team in May.
Owens, a third-round draft choice by San Francisco in 1996, has started 201 of the 219 regular-season NFL games he has played in his career. He has 1,078 receptions for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns _ the second most in league history.
His nine seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving and 13 years with at least 50 catches rank third. His total receptions are sixth on the NFL career list. Owens spent eight seasons with San Francisco, two with Philadelphia, and three with Dallas before a pair of one-year stints with Buffalo and Cincinnati.
Owens is the latest veteran receiver the Seahawks have signed since training camp began. It started when the Seahawks brought in Antonio Bryant, but he was cut late last week. Seattle also signed Braylon Edwards, who played sparingly in 2011 with San Francisco during an injury-filled season. Now it’s Owens getting his chance.
Seattle is seeking both insurance and a complement for Sidney Rice. Last season, Rice played in just nine games as he was sidelined by shoulder injuries and concussions. Rice had surgery on both shoulders in the offseason and is being held out of contact drills during training camp as the Seahawks try to get him to the start of the regular season healthy.
Additionally, the Seahawks cut No. 2 receiver Mike Williams in July, and Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin and Ben Obomanu, the Seahawks’ main options for filling that role, don’t fit head coach Pete Carroll’s desire to have another tall receiver with a big frame.
Owens could be on the practice field Tuesday morning when the Seahawks return from their off day.
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