Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb Bickering, Yet Again

By Linda Orlando

Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb have a long history of getting their signals crossed. When Owens arrived in Philadelphia in 2004, he had nothing but praise for McNabb, saying that he was looking forward to catching passes from the Eagles’ quarterback. The two quickly developed a buddy-buddy relationship and worked well together on the field, with the team making it to the Super Bowl after three near-misses.

But when Philadelphia lost to the New England Patriots, things went sour quickly. The split seemed to occur when Owens made some critical comments about McNabb, saying that he had run out of gas. McNabb responded by telling Owens during a mandatory mini-camp, "Just keep my name out of your mouth."

Owens demanded a new contract, was sent home for a week in training camp, and then was kicked out for good with nine games left. In March, Owens was cut and signed with the Cowboys four days later for a $25 million, three-year contract. In July he released an autobiography and said that his problems with McNabb began with McNabb cussing at him in the huddle. McNabb later countered by calling Owens’ autobiography a "children’s book."

Owens has been vocal about looking forward to having his revenge on McNabb when the Eagles play the Cowboys this Sunday. He has told reporters that he circled the game on his calendar once the schedule was announced, saying that he worked out in sets of 10-8, since the game will be played on 10-8. McNabb’s response to that jab was a jab of his own: "I got my eight in just a few minutes ago," he told Dallas reporters. "I did eight push-ups, eight curls, and I was just so focused, I’m ready to go."

Wednesday the animosity took another turn with a misunderstanding about a text message McNabb says he sent to Owens last week after he was taken to the hospital. It was widely reported that Owens had attempted suicide, reports that were later countered by Owens’ reps saying that he had just suffered a bad reaction to pain medicine.

McNabb told reporters in Dallas that he had reached out to Owens by sending him a text message to "let him know that I was thinking about him and praying for him," adding that he hoped "everything would turn out well and that he’d be back out on the field and be healthy." McNabb also said he told Owens "if he needed anything, to call." He said although he never got a response, he didn’t expect one. "I think the message was sent," McNabb said. "If he read it or received it, then I think he would know."

But in a separate interview, Owens said he never got the message. Although he didn’t specifically call McNabb a liar, the expression on his face left no doubt about his meaning. When a reporter asked Owens if it was possible McNabb might have sent the message to an old phone number, Owens said, "Look, I’m not trying to start anything. He’s a smart guy. If he wanted my phone number he could’ve gotten it."

On Sunday when the Cowboys take on the Eagles, all eyes will be on Owens, watching to see how the City of Brotherly Love treats him for ripping its team apart. Owens already threw the first punch by telling reporters, "We’re not going there to taste the cheesesteaks. We’re not going there to visit the crack in the Liberty Bell. We’re going up there to try to win a ballgame."

One thing fans can be assured they won’t see if any symbolic, hatchet-burying handshake between T.O. and McNabb. "I don’t feel like I have to go out of the way to appease you guys, to try to create some type of story," Owens said. McNabb’s comment when asked about the two putting the past behind them was equally unrelenting. "The whole world doesn't have to see us shaking hands, high-fiving, hugging, chest bumping. Because after that it will be, `Well, they made up,' and you guys will come up with some bad cliché or bad little funny jokes about it. We have a job to do."