John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Terrell Owens tells 49ers’ John Lynch he’ll play for the veteran minimum
The Golden State Warriors took a 2-0 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals on Sunday night and Terrell Owens, who spent his first eight NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, was in attendance. The 44-year-old former NFL wide receiver hasn't played a snap in the league since the 2010 season, but that didn't stop him from lobbying to 49ers general manager John Lynch for a job on Saturday morning.
The exchange between Lynch and Owens started when the general manager commended Owens for his efforts to raise Alzheimer's awareness. It ended with Owens telling Lynch that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is going to need a big-play receiver and that he fits that need. Owens even suggested that he would be willing to play for the league's veteran minimum salary of $1.015 million per year via the hashtag #VetMin.
Pleading with the team he has admittedly been holding a grudge against is a curious move. Owens, who is a five-time first-team All-Pro and a six-time Pro Bowl selection, hasn't expressed a lot of love for the team that made him a third-round draft pick in 1996. In his opinion, things ended badly between him and the team as his time in San Francisco came to a close.
While arriving at a Minneapolis area airport in April for the week leading to the Super Bowl,
Owens was asked by a TMZ reporter which team he would enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame with (before he was officially selected as an inductee). The question was irrelevant since individuals do not enter the Hall of Fame associated with a single team. Instead, they enter as a player and associated with each team with which they played.
Owens answered the question anyway.
"Well, it won't be the Niners," he said.
Owens will enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August. The cover of the Madden NFL 19: Hall of Fame Edition video game, which is due out the same month, will feature him. Of course, Owens will represent the Dallas Cowboys on that cover, the team he was with for just three NFL seasons, and not the 49ers, with which he spent the majority of his NFL career.
When asked to acknowledge he is a Niner first and foremost,
Owens told a fan via Twitter, "That's where I started. Never denied that."
Another fan tweeted to Lynch that Owens would help fill the seats at Levi's Stadium and help the offense move the chains. "I couldn't agree more,"
Owens responded.
Regardless of Owens' pleas for a return to the NFL, which tend to pop up regularly, the 49ers are unlikely to consider such a signing. The team has a lot of confidence in its young roster, including a wide receiver group that includes Pierre Garçon, Marquise Goodwin, Trent Taylor, and second-round draft pick Dante Pettis.
H/T to Cam Inman of
Bay Area News Group for the find.
LISTEN
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
John Lynch: 49ers 'incredibly encouraged' after Brock Purdy throwing session
Brock Purdy started throwing this week, and it sounds like the San Francisco 49ers are pleased with their second-year quarterback's progress. While Purdy isn't doing anything overly taxing, it is the first time he is throwing a football—albeit reportedly a lighter-weighted one.
Purdy underwent surgery on March 10 to repair the tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow, an injury suffered against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. His recovery is expected to last into late August or early September—barring any setbacks.
"There are certain markers that you hit," general manager John Lynch said Wednesday morning on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "He was 12 weeks out, and that meant it was time to throw. He did so and
Why John Lynch believes 49ers QB Brock Purdy is the "real deal"
By Rohan Chakravarthi
May 31
Over the offseason, there has been significant talk surrounding the San Francisco 49ers and their quarterbacks, especially after the team signed Sam Darnold in free agency, providing them three capable options with starting experience in the former Carolina Panther, Brock Purdy, and Trey Lance.
Purdy is evidently the leader in the clubhouse, as stated by general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan several times this offseason, but many have pointed out his flaws, such as the inability to make throws downfield, as a reason why one of the other quarterbacks could win over the starting job with a strong performance in organized team activities(OTAs) and training camp.
What do the 49ers believe about Purdy's downfield ability?
General manager
John Lynch: 49ers QB Trey Lance having a 'really, really quality offseason'
During an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch once again called Brock Purdy the "leader in the clubhouse" when it comes to the team's starting quarterback job. Purdy earned that with his superb play last season as a rookie, helping guide the 49ers to eight consecutive wins before an NFC Championship Game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Purdy suffered a UCL tear in that game and will miss most or all of this offseason. That opens the door for Trey Lance or Sam Darnold to impress coaches and potentially climb the depth chart. Lance opened last season as the 49ers' starter but suffered a season-ending ankle injury during Week 2.
The 49ers haven't lost faith in their former No. 3 overall draft pick. They still see a lot
49ers Mailbag: What happens if Sam Darnold beats out Trey Lance? Which rookie will play the most in 2023? Which question stumped us?
What happens if Sam Darnold beats out Trey Lance? We're answering this question and others in this week's edition of the 49ers Webzone Mailbag.
It's week two of OTAs, and the 49ers will have a session open to the media on Wednesday. It may even be happening as you're reading this. And Brock Purdy is believed to start throwing a ball this week (though probably not a regular football).
But for now, ignore those reports, and let's jump into our latest mailbag and answer your questions.
Who's starting on Opening Day at FS? - Chris W.
The 49ers re-signed veteran free safety Tashaun Gipson to a one-year deal and drafted Penn State safety Ji'Ayir Brown back in April. Brown is the future starting free safety. That future is most likely to