Terrell Owens made a conscious decision not to attend his Hall of Fame enshrinement. So, the Hall won’t introduce him in both its Gold Jacket ceremony and induction ceremony one night later in Canton, Ohio on Aug. 4.
“There’s no reason to bring him up as an individual,” Pro Football Hall of Fame executive director Joe Horrigan told the Talk of Fame Sports Network Thursday. “He’s not here.”
It is believed Owens was disgruntled with the Hall’s selection committee after being snubbed in 2016 and 2017. He got the call this year, alongside seven other members of the soon-to-be immortalized 2018 class.
In early June, he said he would not attend the enshrinement, becoming the first player to boycott the event. Nearly a month later, the 49er great announced he would give his acceptance speech at the University of Chattanooga, his alma mater, hours before the actual speeches are conducted in Canton on Aug. 4.
The decision came with widespread backlash. Steve Young ‘begged’ Owens to reconsider his decision.
If attending the ceremony wasn’t a priority to Owens, recognizing him during the ceremonies doesn’t seem to be a priority to the Hall.
“The focus,” Horrigan said, “is on the guys who are here.”
Owens played the first eight seasons of his 15-year career with the 49ers. In January, he told TMZ he would not be enshrined into the Hall of Fame as a 49er, despite his accomplishments with the franchise.
His 103.6 yards per game in 2000 led the NFL. He led the league in receiving touchdowns in 2001 and 2002. From 2000-2002, Owens strung together three consecutive seasons of at least 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns with the 49ers. He spent the final seven years of his career with Philadelphia, Dallas, Buffalo, and Cincinnati.
Owens ranks second in 49ers history behind Jerry Rice with 8,572 career yards and 81 touchdowns. He is second in NFL history in receiving yards (15,934), third in receiving touchdowns (153), and eighth in receptions (1,078).