Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens says that he could have helped Tom Brady win an eighth Super Bowl — if only the quarterback had picked up the phone.
During an appearance on the “Bubba Dub Show,” the 50-year-old Owens said he tried to reach out to Brady and play alongside him during the 2021 season.
It didn’t work.
“Tom Brady, he ignored me,” Owens said.
Owens, who was 48 at the time, said he tried to do this after Antonio Brown walked off on the Bucs and was cut shortly after, leaving the team thin at receiver heading into the playoffs.
Owens claims that he attempted to reach out to Brady through a contact — and didn’t need to be a full-time player. He said that he just needed to play on third downs and in the red zone, a role he says that Brown was basically filling at that point.
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Owens says he was already working out to be in playing shape. At the time, he even took to social media to try and let the Bucs know that his services were available.
Instead, the Buccaneers went on without Owens, a decision that the receiver attributed to “arrogance” and claims was “lack of respect” on Brady’s part.”
Owens went so far as to claim that Brady would have won an eighth Super Bowl ring if only the Buccaneers had taken his offer seriously.
“Me understanding the game, understanding how to play with a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Tom Brady and trying to add to what they already had. Bro, they had just won the Super Bowl. He could have had his eighth Super Bowl,” Owens said.
The Buccaneers went on to lose to the Rams in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
A five-time All-Pro selection and six-time Pro Bowler, Owens is one of the best wide receivers of all time. Like Brady, Owens also showcased uncanny longevity in the NFL and played a total of 15 seasons. He ranks third in NFL history in both receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Drafted in 1996 by the San Francisco 49ers, Owens went on to play for the Eagles, Cowboys Bills and finally the Bengals in 2010. Owens last appeared in an NFL camp in 2012 during a brief stint with the Seattle Seahawks.
After his pitch to the Buccaneers went ignored, Owens still managed to return to professional football, playing with the Fan Controlled Football league in the spring of 2022.
