Terrell Owens was one of the most prolific receivers in NFL history, finishing his career with 15,934 receiving yards and 153 touchdown catches, both of which are good for third all-time.
So when asked to put together a list of the 100 best NFL players of all time as part of the NFL’s centennial celebration, it’d make sense to see Owens among the group.
However, the list was unveiled over the weekend, and T.O. was not one of the 10 receivers on the final list.
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The collection of receivers who made the cut were: Lance Alworth, Raymond Berry, Larry Fitzgerald, Marvin Harrison, Elroy Hirsch, Don Hutson, Steve Largent, Randy Moss, Jerry Rice, and Paul Warfield.
Owens, whom the 49ers selected in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft, was named a first-team All-Pro five times over his 16-year career.
Meanwhile, Fitzgerald has been first-team All-Pro just once, while Hirsch has just two first-team nods.
San Francisco 49ers
Obviously, All-Pro awards shouldn’t be the only thing taken into account when ranking NFL players, but it’s a pretty good indicator of who consistently is the best in the league at their respective position.
Wide receiver also is a tricky position to evaluate, as teams throw the ball dramatically more than they did in the mid-20th century when some of these players were in their prime.
It isn’t the first time Owens has been overlooked by award voters in the NFL, as he also was left out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in each of his first two seasons of eligibility.
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While there likely isn’t one specific reason why Owens continues to be snubbed, his reputation for distracting on- and off-the-field antics didn’t help.
Whatever the ultimate reason, Owens now rightfully has secured his bust in Canton, and based on the reaction from his peers on social media, just about everyone knows he belongs on this list as well.