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Terrell Owens on not making NFL's all-time team: 'I’m a bit pissed off. It’s disrespectful'

Feel free to disagree with Terrell Owens on plenty of different topics, but it’s hard to deny he was wronged when left off the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

There were 10 receivers on the team, announced in December in conjunction with the NFL’s 100th season. Owens, a five-time All-Pro who is third all-time in receiving yards, eighth in receptions and third in receiving touchdowns, wasn’t among the 10 receivers on that team.

And, of course, Owens wasn’t shy when asked if he should have been on the team.

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“Oh absolutely,” Owens said, as he promoted his new HiStudios Original podcast with former NFL receiver Matthew Hatchette, “Getch’a Popcorn Ready with T.O. & Hatch.” “I’m not on it, but I know I’m one of the top 100 athletes to play the game.

“I’m a bit pissed off. It’s disrespectful.”

He’s not wrong, and he thinks it goes back to him not showing up in Canton for his Hall of Fame induction speech.

Terrell Owens: Three WRs should start any all-time list

Many football fans would likely agree with Owens’ assessment on the receiving corps for the league’s all-time team.

“You make a list like that, your first three receivers have to be Jerry Rice, myself and Randy Moss,” Owens said. “You can add whoever else after that.”

The all-time team leaned heavily on the past. There was a lot of black-and-white footage on the episodes announcing the team. It’s great that the voting panel took care to not ignore players from an era most of us didn’t experience. But it also left some modern superstars out.

“No disrespect to anyone on the list, but Don Huston, Elroy ‘Jetson’ Hirsch ... I don’t even know these guys,” Owens said.

Owens also brought up Steve Largent, the Seattle Seahawks great who was one of the 10 receivers on the team. He credited Largent for being a “pioneer,” but questioned how Largent made the team and he didn’t.

“Look at his highlights and my highlights. It’s a no brainer,” Owens said. “It’s no disrespect to anyone else, but if you do that list, it has to start with me, Jerry Rice and Randy Moss.

“It just lends to the lack of credibility of these guys who are in charge of the history of the game. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Terrell Owens thought he should have been part of the NFL's all-time team. (Associated Press)
Terrell Owens thought he should have been part of the NFL's all-time team. (Associated Press)

Owens thinks snub goes back to HOF controversy

Owens believes that the Hall of Fame controversy led to him not being on the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

Owens was snubbed for the Hall of Fame too, being passed over twice as a finalist. When he did make it, he skipped the traditional ceremony in Canton, Ohio, and held his own in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Hall of Fame executive Joe Horrigan said Owens wouldn’t be recognized during the ceremony in Canton, which set off more controversy. Horrigan was one of the 26 members of the panel that selected the all-time team, and Owens has connected those dots.

“He’s pissed off so this is his way to get back at me,” Owens said.

That ignores there were 25 other members of the panel, but there are clearly still some bitter feelings.

“T.O.’s social media is bigger than what the Hall can reach,” Hatchette, his podcast co-host, said.

You can tell why Owens and Hatchette are excited for their podcast. The two former NFL receivers were never teammates, but kept crossing paths and struck up a friendship that has lasted for 20 years. They’re both outspoken and plan to discuss topics beyond what happens on the field, like pop culture and race.

Owens has never shied away from creating controversy, and he’s sure to drum up some more. Had he played things differently over the last 20 years he probably would have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer and been on the NFL’s all-time team, but he said he has no regrets.

“None whatsoever,” Owens said. “I couldn’t care less.”

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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab

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