On Wednesday, football made a comeback to Levi’s® Stadium—if just for the day. At the organization’s local pro day, there were forty prospects with ties to the Bay Area, a few players on free agency tryouts, and Hall of Fame wide receiver and San Francisco 49ers legend Terrell Owens.
After 16 seasons in the league, Owens declared retirement in 2010, so his only role at the practice on Wednesday was that of a supportive father. Terique Owens, his oldest son, is a 2024 wide receiver prospect who hopes to get a contract with an NFL team by the end of the month.
Terrell Owens remarked, “I’m proud of him just to get to this point.” “He needs to see these as enormous chances to showcase his abilities.
“Throughout his collegiate career, he didn’t have a lot of film work, but he did have a lot of football work. However, there are various routes to getting on a team, creating history, and succeeding for yourself. Without a doubt, this is a positive move.”
As one might anticipate from having a Hall of Famer for a father, Owens didn’t take an early interest in football.
“I’ve played basketball my entire life. Growing up, I wanted to play that,” Terrell Owens remarked. “I didn’t watch football too much. Growing up, my mother attempted to convince me to play football, but I wasn’t interested in it. It wasn’t exactly my desire to play. I disliked making contact.”
Owens tried football his sophomore year because of his buddies, and when he joined Bishop O’Dowd’s squad, the wide receiver noticed that his playing time was still somewhat restricted until his senior year.
He attended Missouri State, Florida Atlantic University, and Contra Costa College while playing collegiate football. During his three seasons with the Bears, Owens caught 28 catches for 528 yards and 10 touchdowns in 10 appearances (two starts) during his last season.
Owens has low hopes for what might happen come draft day because of his delayed start to his football career, but he is prepared for any chance that presents itself.
“I’m a late bloomer to this, so I see myself going as an undrafted free agent,” Terique Owens stated. “It goes without saying that I have been striving to earn the chance to be drafted, but as I mentioned earlier, I’m a late bloomer. I have simply been improving and hoping that I would be given the chance to be drafted.”
Owens is almost done with his pre-draft process, and his father has been and still is a major contributor. April 24 is the last day to submit any prospect evaluations.
“We’ve been working every year, all through the year, putting work in the offseason, so it means a lot that he is out here (at local pro day) supporting me,” Terique Owens stated.
“Just to see where he is now, the progression that he’s made even within just the end of last year, the last few games he had at Missouri State to where we are today, he’s made leaps and bounds as far as becoming a really good receiver,” Terrell Owens stated.
