After Charles Haley jokingly put Terrell Owens on the spot, the former NFL wide receiver said he would put aside his grudge with the Hall of Fame to attend Bryant Young’s Hall of Fame induction in Canton.
WALNUT CREEK -- Four years ago, Terrell Owens became the only living inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame to not attend his enshrinement ceremony in Canton, Ohio.
Owens was voted into the Hall of Fame in his third year of eligibility. The two-year snub of Owens was controversial.
At the time his 13-year NFL career ended, Owens ranked second in all-time receiving yards (15,934), third in receiving touchdowns (153) and eighth in receptions (1,078).
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Instead of being in Canton with the seven other inductees that year, Owens gave his induction speech at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he attended college. On the same day, the other members of the Class of 2018 were at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
After his former teammate Bryant Young was voted into the Hall of Fame this year, Young asked Owens to be there to help him celebrate the achievement.
On Wednesday, Owens accepted the invitation.
“He knows my feelings about the Hall of Fame," Owens said at the Dwight Clark Legacy Series during a panel discussion of Hall of Famers welcoming Young to the club. "I wouldn’t be here or even considering going to the Hall of Fame if it weren’t for B.Y.”
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In the past, Owens has criticized the process for selecting Hall of Famers. A 49-member selection committee of media members -- and group that includes Hall of Famers Dan Fouts, James Lofton and Bill Polian -- is in charge of voting on the class each year.
A maximum of five modern-era candidates can be selected each year. The Hall of Fame has no vote in the process.
“As far as my relationship with the Hall of Fame, I don’t have one,” Owens said. “But when it comes to being there for your brothers, obviously, for a teammate like B.Y., the way he showed up every day, just the professionalism, the way he approached his craft, and me seeing (that). He’s like a gentle giant. He’s quiet, but when the beast needs to come out, you saw it on the field.
“So for me to sit in that locker room and walk into that locker room every day and see how he approached work and just marvel at his professionalism, the way he played, I wouldn’t probably be here. But this is a huge moment. It’s not about me. This is me celebrating my teammate. Prior to that, I probably had no earthly idea when I would probably step foot back in Canton.”
Haley, a Hall of Famer and former teammate who knocked on Young’s door to inform him of his induction, interjected that he wanted a firm commitment from Owens.
“So are you saying you’re coming or not?” Haley asked Owens. “Yes or no?”
After some back and forth, Owens said he would be in Canton for Young.
“But, yeah,” Owens said, “I’m looking forward to really being there and supporting B.Y.”
After the crowd erupted in applause, Young shared what it meant to him to hear Owens say he would attend the induction ceremony.
“I was actually getting emotional hearing (Haley) talk and then Terrell,” Young said. “That is special to have that consideration to be able to come because of me. It is about the brotherhood. I’m here because of the experiences and things we shared as teammates.
“It’s about the brotherhood. It’s about supporting one another and being there for one another and the sacrifices that we make for one another. We do it for each other but we do it also for the people that really make this game possible and that’s the fans.”
Young said he looked forward to celebrating with everyone with whom he worked during his time in the NFL, including staff members of every department in which he had contact. Young spent his entire 14-year career with the 49ers.
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Clearly, Owens’ commitment to be in Canton for the ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 6, meant a lot to him.
“So I’m incredibly humbled, Terrell, that you would consider to be there,” Young said.
Haley corrected Young, pointing out that Owens said he was going to attend, not that he was just considering it.
“He said he’s coming,” Haley interjected. “Don’t let him walk out of it. He’s in the trap now. Don’t let him get out of it.”