Owens: 'I don't really have to play for the Eagles'

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2113696

An Eagle could be taking flight.

As a war of words between Eagles president Joe Banner and Terrell Owens heats up, T.O. told CSS SportsNite in Atlanta on Thursday that he is willing to leave Philly if the team won't redo his contract, which still has six years remaining on a $49 million deal.

"It doesn't bother me," Owens said about Banner's comments. "When it all boils down to it, I'm doing what's best for my family. Not to stir anything up, but I don't really have to play for the Eagles, to be honest. I can go play with any other team and still be productive.

"If [Banner] feels that way, then get rid of me," he continued. "I have no gripes, no ill feelings toward any of the players on that team. This is business. They know how business is conducted. I've told them what I'm doing is for my family. If they can't understand that -- and if they feel like I'm a no-nonsense guy -- he wants to talk about Drew and I -- if we're problems then I feel like we can be adults about it. Trade me. Release me, and we can part ways like adults."

Owens has a specific idea of where he'd like to be traded.

"If Joe Banner can give Drew Rosenhaus permission to seek a trade," he told SportsNite, "who knows, Atlanta might be on the list of people that I could play for."

Owens' comments came after Banner criticized the receiver and agent Drew Rosenhaus in the Philadelphia Daily News.

"If we were dealing with somebody who was looking at this logically and was going to come to a common-sense conclusion, you'd say [he'll report to camp on time]," Banner told the Daily News. "But you're dealing with two people here who, frankly, don't think in common-sense terms. Anything can happen. They're not going to necessarily do what makes sense."

Rosenhaus told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the odds of Owens reporting to training camp on time are "50-50." Owens himself told CSS SportsNite on Thursday that, despite the possible fines, he likely won't attend camp. The Daily News, citing a source in the NFL players' association with knowledge of Owens' contract, reported that the Eagles could fine T.O. five-sixths of the $2.25 million signing bonus Owens received after being traded last year, meaning Owens could be out $1.87 million.

 

Here's an update by the Eagles:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2114034&name=FPT-2114034-072212&srvc=sz

Despite heated rhetoric, T.O. not going anywhere

Terrell Owens is hinting that he would agree to a trade because of a contract dispute with the Philadelphia Eagles, although his first choice is to still get a new deal from the NFC champions.

Drew Rosenhaus, Owens' agent said Friday he just wants a fair-market deal for Owens.

"We hope it's something we can work out with the Philadelphia Eagles," Rosenhaus told The Associated Press, adding he had talked recently with the Eagles. "If it's something we can work out with another team, that is not something we are opposed to."

He acknowledged that the Eagles have told him they aren't interested in trading the receiver.

"We have not received permission to seek a trade," Rosenhaus said.

Responding to comments made by Eagles president Joe Banner in Thursday's Philadelphia Daily News that Owens and Rosenhaus "don't think in commonsense terms," Owens told Comcast SportsNet Southeast in Atlanta that the Eagles could just trade him.

Banner was on vacation and unavailable for comment Friday.

"If he feels that way, then get rid of me," Owens said Thursday. "He wants to talk about Drew and I. If we're problems, then... trade me, release me. And we can just part ways like adults.

"What it all boils down to is I'm going to do what's best for my family. I don't even have to play for the Eagles, to be honest. I can go play with any other team and still be productive."

Owens, who helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl in his first season in Philadelphia after eight years with San Francisco, is asking for a new contract a year into a seven-year deal worth almost $49 million.

Rosenhaus said earlier this week that Owens was "50-50" about reporting to training camp and no decision would be made until the start of camp.

Veterans are scheduled to report to Eagles camp on Aug. 1 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.

The Eagles have said they won't redo Owens' contract.

Banner told the Daily News he hoped Owens would report on time.

"If we were dealing with somebody who was looking at this logically and was going to come to a commonsense conclusion, you'd say [he would report]," Banners said. "But you're dealing with two people here who, frankly, don't think in commonsense terms. Anything can happen. They're not going to necessarily do what makes sense."

Owens defied his doctor's advice by returning to the starting lineup against New England just 6½ weeks after ankle surgery, and was Philadelphia's best player on offense. He caught nine passes for 122 yards in the Eagles' 24-21 loss to the Patriots.

His outrageous personality, flashy touchdown celebrations and deep-ball ability made Owens an instant fan favorite in notoriously-fickle Philadelphia. Public sentiment has turned against him, though, with fans flooding talk radio that he's gotten greedy and that the Eagles could win a Super Bowl without him.

Rosenhaus defended his client, saying fans should not have any ill-will toward Owens because the renegotiation process was strictly a business decision.

"This is something that is of great urgency and importance to Terrell," he said. "He hasn't looked to offend anybody. The last faction he want to offend is the Philadelphia Eagles fans. This is not personal.

"I'm confident once we get this resolved, he will go back to the status he previously enjoyed."