By Jacob Calvin Meyer - The Washington Times - Sunday, April 17, 2022

Get your popcorn ready. T.O. is back scoring touchdowns.

At 48 years old, Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens showed he’s still got it in his debut in the Fan Controlled Football league. Owens, playing for the Zappers, caught a 12-yard touchdown in a 20-12 loss to the Shoulda Been Stars. The touchdown came on the final play of the game.

“I felt alright,” Owens said after the game. “I mean, obviously a little rusty, just got to get a little timing with some of the quarterbacks. But other than that, it’s football, you know what I mean? Obviously, I think we wanted to get the win, but we came up short on that end. Hey, we got seven more games. So, always a lot of room for improvement.”

Fan Controlled Football is a 7-on-7 indoor league that gives fans the ability to call offensive plays. Former NFL first-round pick Johnny Manziel is a quarterback for the Zappers and the league’s most well-known player. Manziel didn’t play in the season opener because he showed up late to training camp and believed he needed more time to prepare. 

Owens, one of the best NFL wide receivers of all time, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018. He caused controversy by not attending his enshrinement ceremony due to what he believed was poor treatment by the media during his career. He caught 153 touchdowns and totaled 15,934 yards across 15 NFL seasons with the 49ers, Eagles, Cowboys, Bills and Bengals. His last game in the NFL was in 2010. 

Owens, whose name on the back of his No. 81 jersey was “Prototype81,” caught the touchdown from Laquan Horton. His celebration was mild, as the boisterous wideout didn’t sprint to midfield as he did to troll the Cowboys or spell out his nickname with his arms. 

“Once I get everything down, get my feet under me, trust me, I’m going to be a load to deal with,” Owens said.

• Jacob Calvin Meyer can be reached at jmeyer@washingtontimes.com.

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide