Eagles' Reid on T.O.: 'He'll be all right'
11:24 PM CST on Wednesday, March 29, 2006
By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
ORLANDO, Fla. – Coach Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles is a man of few words. Even fewer words, it seems, when it comes to Terrell Owens.
Reid was not in a talkative mood Wednesday at the annual NFC coaches-media breakfast at the NFL spring meeting. That's to be expected after the tumultuous two years he spent with Owens, one of the most gifted pass catchers in the NFL.
The Eagles traded for Owens in 2004 hoping he could be the final element in their Super Bowl formula. And he was, catching 77 passes for 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns to help power the Eagles to their first Super Bowl in 24 years.
But in the second year Reid saw the other side of Owens. The disruptive side.
Owens threatened to hold out in training camp, then was sent home for a week in August for conduct detrimental to the team. After Owens returned he stopped talking to his head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback, then became openly critical of team leader Donovan McNabb in the fall.
The Eagles finally sent Owens home after seven games, this time for good, citing insubordination. He was among the NFL receiving leaders at the time with 47 catches for 763 yards and six touchdowns.
The Eagles lost seven of the final nine games without Owens, failing to defend their NFC championship with a 6-10 record. Philadelphia released Owens this month and within days he signed with its NFC East rival the Cowboys.
Asked how he thought Owens would do in Dallas, Reid was brief.
"He'll be all right," he said.
Asked if he was surprised Owens would sign with Dallas, Reid again was brief.
"I had a pretty good idea that they were interested," he said.
Asked if he regretted ever bringing Owens to Philadelphia, Reid again recited a quick answer.
"I don't look back," he said. "I did what I did."
Owens said at his Dallas press conference that he's not the person that he was portrayed in Philadelphia, that there was another side to the story. Reid was asked if he'd ever seen that "other" side of the story.
"I'm probably going to see it in July," said Reid in reference to the scheduled summer release of Owens' autobiography.
Only after the line of questioning moved on to Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia, Reggie Brown and the rest of the current Eagles did Reid warm up to the discussion.
Across the room, Brad Childress was a bit more expansive about the top off-season acquisition by the Cowboys. Childress was Owens' offensive coordinator at Philadelphia. He's now the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
"He's a phenomenal player between the white lines," Childress said. "He'll probably be much the same as when he came to us in Philadelphia. He'll probably be a good citizen and a very good player. He'll be a model ... this year."
Childress said he expects Cowboys coach Bill Parcells to sit down with Owens very soon.
"I know Bill will probably have a 'get right' meeting with him, tell him what his expectations are, what his rules are," Childress said. "And I think it will go from there."
Parcells was unavailable for comment. He did not attend the spring meeting and was the only NFC coach not present at the annual breakfast.
By RICK GOSSELIN / The Dallas Morning News
ORLANDO, Fla. – Coach Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles is a man of few words. Even fewer words, it seems, when it comes to Terrell Owens.
Reid was not in a talkative mood Wednesday at the annual NFC coaches-media breakfast at the NFL spring meeting. That's to be expected after the tumultuous two years he spent with Owens, one of the most gifted pass catchers in the NFL.
The Eagles traded for Owens in 2004 hoping he could be the final element in their Super Bowl formula. And he was, catching 77 passes for 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns to help power the Eagles to their first Super Bowl in 24 years.
But in the second year Reid saw the other side of Owens. The disruptive side.
Owens threatened to hold out in training camp, then was sent home for a week in August for conduct detrimental to the team. After Owens returned he stopped talking to his head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback, then became openly critical of team leader Donovan McNabb in the fall.
The Eagles finally sent Owens home after seven games, this time for good, citing insubordination. He was among the NFL receiving leaders at the time with 47 catches for 763 yards and six touchdowns.
The Eagles lost seven of the final nine games without Owens, failing to defend their NFC championship with a 6-10 record. Philadelphia released Owens this month and within days he signed with its NFC East rival the Cowboys.
Asked how he thought Owens would do in Dallas, Reid was brief.
"He'll be all right," he said.
Asked if he was surprised Owens would sign with Dallas, Reid again was brief.
"I had a pretty good idea that they were interested," he said.
Asked if he regretted ever bringing Owens to Philadelphia, Reid again recited a quick answer.
"I don't look back," he said. "I did what I did."
Owens said at his Dallas press conference that he's not the person that he was portrayed in Philadelphia, that there was another side to the story. Reid was asked if he'd ever seen that "other" side of the story.
"I'm probably going to see it in July," said Reid in reference to the scheduled summer release of Owens' autobiography.
Only after the line of questioning moved on to Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia, Reggie Brown and the rest of the current Eagles did Reid warm up to the discussion.
Across the room, Brad Childress was a bit more expansive about the top off-season acquisition by the Cowboys. Childress was Owens' offensive coordinator at Philadelphia. He's now the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.
"He's a phenomenal player between the white lines," Childress said. "He'll probably be much the same as when he came to us in Philadelphia. He'll probably be a good citizen and a very good player. He'll be a model ... this year."
Childress said he expects Cowboys coach Bill Parcells to sit down with Owens very soon.
"I know Bill will probably have a 'get right' meeting with him, tell him what his expectations are, what his rules are," Childress said. "And I think it will go from there."
Parcells was unavailable for comment. He did not attend the spring meeting and was the only NFC coach not present at the annual breakfast.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:25 PM
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