During their five seasons together with the 49ers, quarterback Jeff Garcia and wide receiver Terrell Owens teamed up for 50 touchdown passes in 69 games.
There were plenty of outstanding moments, along with some rocky times, too.
When Owens’ candidacy for the Pro Football Hall of Fame was up for debate for the third time this year, Garcia stepped forward to express his support for his former teammate in a letter to the 48-member selection committee.
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“It meant a lot,” Owens said in a recent sit-down interview that will air in The 49ers Insider Podcast and on NBC Sports Bay Area's "49ers Pregame Live" on Thursday. “I didn’t expect it. It was truly unexpected. It shows you the mutual respect he has for me and I have the same for him, for what we were able to accomplish on that field.”
Owens made the Pro Bowl six times in his career. The first three times he made the all-star game (2000-’02), Garcia was selected along with him. Although they had their undeniable differences, Owens reflected on what they have in common.
“I put myself in his shoes, because I’m sure he was considered an underdog, taking the path that he did to the National Football League,” Owens said of Garcia. “He went through the CFL, things of that nature. I didn’t go that route, but I also felt like I was an underdog, too, coming out of a small school like UT Chattanooga.
"I respect a guy like that. I respect the grind, the toughness that he brought on Sundays.”
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As part of the statement he provided in support of Owens for the Hall of Fame voters, Garcia wrote: “He wore his emotions on his sleeve and sometimes that was taken in a negative way, but there's no taking away from the fact that he wanted to win badly and is near the top of every important receiving category in the history of the NFL. No matter who his QB was or what team he played for, his production was consistent and raised the standard of the position from a performance aspect. The proof is in what he did on the field."
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