Arthur Ward/CFL.ca
TORONTO — Days after his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction, the Terrell Owens comeback bid continues to gain traction.
The prolific receiver worked out with Chris Jones over the weekend near Chattanooga, Tenn., lending more credibility to the possibility of the 44-year-old returning to professional football eight years after playing his last game.
“I saw the video and he had clocked at 4.41 or 4.43 or whatever it was and he looked in great shape so I thought, well, you know, I’m going be home and he is going to be home in the Chattanooga area and it gave us an opportunity to get him in front of us,” Riders head coach and general manager Chris Jones told Stephen Hargis of the Chattanooga Times Free Press Sunday afternoon.
Jones said Owens caught the ball well and ‘got in and out of his breaks decently’, but will need to get into football shape before getting into a game. Still, the Riders’ football czar seemed open to the idea of signing Owens.
“He and I are going to speak and see how he wants to handle it,” Jones told Hargis.
While Owens is widely considered one of the greatest receivers ever to play the game, media and fans have scoffed at the idea of the Riders signing a 44-year-old so far removed from his playing days. On the other hand, the storyline alone would be remarkable, while the potential risk is low.
Should the Riders bring T.O. to Regina?
More in The Weekly Say.
Should the Riders sign Terrell Owens?
Rumours of Terrell Owens playing in the CFL continue to swirl after he worked out with the Riders (San Francisco 49ers)
Chris O’Leary: No. There’s really no benefit of signing him in Saskatchewan. They don’t need to sell tickets and they have good, young receivers. He’s still in great shape and he can run fast, but I doubt that TO’s body could hold up to the week-to-week grind of pro football. Bringing Bakari Grant back would make more sense.
Marshall Ferguson: He doesn’t know the CFL and would be nothing more than a novelty jersey in 10 years. The Riders would be better off bringing back players the fan base actually cares for in Rob Bagg and Bakari Grant — both guys who would have immediate chemistry with Zach Collaros.
Jim Morris: Terrell Owens is 44 years old. Enough said.
James Cybulski: Signing a 44-year-old who hasn’t played pro football in almost a decade sounds like a bad idea to me.
Matthew Cauz: Yes because it seems like days since Chris Jones has been in the spotlight. Why let the recent failures of Trent Richardson or Vince Young deter Jones? Jokes aside …. No. Develop your own talent instead of going after a player who is two years older than me.
After a stellar debut, are you buying or selling the McLeod Bethel-Thompson hype?
McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw four touchdown passes in a winning debut for the Argos (Adam Gagnon/CFL.ca)
O’Leary: Buy enough to take a longer look at him. He’s earned the start next week against BC. If he can continue to steer his team through some tight situations I’d be more inclined to buy in on him.
Ferguson: Buy. One throw does not make a quarterback but the end cut of that game-winning touchdown throw showed a lot of promising traits.
Morris: It was a great performance, but let’s give Bethel-Thompson some time and a trip around the league. There’s a quarterback in Vancouver who dazzled everyone for a season. Now he’s the backup.
Cybulski: I’m buying because there’s some help around him.
Cauz: Can I stand pat? No, too boring of an answer? Fine, I will buy, only because that fourth-quarter was damn fun and I want more of that this season. Please let “momentum” be a real thing.
Which current non-playoff team (Toronto, BC, Montreal) has the best chance to get into the post-season?
The Lions look like a different team with Travis Lulay, but will it be enough? (The Canadian Press)
O’Leary: If BC were in the East I’d go with them, so that leaves me with the Argos. If they have consistent quarterbacking, the Argos have the pieces to win games in the East and dig themselves out of the hole they’ve fallen into to start the season. Their win last week was big, both in slowing down Ottawa and for a morale builder.
Ferguson: Toronto. Yes, third in the East Division. But good, sound coaching is worth a lot. Despite the slow start, Toronto has that.
Morris: I would think the Argos. The trick for them is they need to finish ahead of Saskatchewan and BC in the crossover. The way BC has played the last couple of games, and the schedule they have, I’m not sure they can climb over the Riders. Montreal is in a major rebuild. The Als will win a couple more games this year but I don’t think they will be in the playoff picture.
Cybulski: Toronto.
Cauz: Wow, that was nice of you guys to include Montreal on this list. Have to go with Toronto. Trestman always makes the playoffs and (Captain Obvious alert!) the West is a wee bit more challenging than the East.
