Many fans search for what teams did terrell owens play for and still feel stuck. They jump from forum to forum and find bits here and there. They need one simple guide to his career stops.
This gap makes their search slow and frustrating.
Owens left a mark on the NFL as a wide receiver from 1996 to 2010. He hauled in 20 catches in one game, a league record. This post will list each stop, share key career stats, and serve fun stories.
You will get the full picture. Read on.
Key Takeaways
- Owens played for seven teams: San Francisco 49ers (1996–2003), Philadelphia Eagles (2004–2005), Dallas Cowboys (2006–2008), Buffalo Bills (2009), Cincinnati Bengals (2010), Allen Wranglers (2012 IFL), and a 2012 Seahawks preseason stint.
- He totaled 1,078 catches, 15,934 yards, and 153 touchdowns in the NFL and added 82 catches for 1,161 yards and 8 TDs in 13 playoff games (Pro Football Reference).
- He earned six Pro Bowl nods (2001–2008), five All-Pro selections (2000–2002, 2004, 2007), and a place on the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team.
- On December 17, 2000, he set the NFL single-game record with 20 catches, and he posted five catches for 122 yards in Super Bowl XXXIX.
- His end-zone celebrations drew big cheers, league fines, and led the NFL to tighten rules on touchdown showmanship.
San Francisco 49ers (1996–2003)
He jumped into the NFL after San Francisco picked the wide receiver in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He linked up with a Hall of Famer signal caller, shredded defenses, and raced to seven trips to the Pro Bowl.
Drafted in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft
San Francisco took Owens in the third round, as the 89th pick of the 1996 NFL Draft. The 49ers added a fast wide receiver with big hands. NFL teams watched his route running. He brought a burst to their offense.
Front offices put faith in his skills. He caught 52 passes for 803 yards and eight touchdowns in 1996. Fans cheered his leaping grabs. That rookie spark set a high bar.
Key highlights and career achievements with the 49ers
Owens thrived as a wide receiver for the 49ers from 1996 through 2003. He led the team in receptions in five seasons. The record books list him second in catches (592), receiving yards (8,572), and touchdowns (81).
He set an NFL record with 20 catches on December 17, 2000, against the Bears. That same year, he piled up a career-high 1,451 yards gained, then reached 100 receptions in 2002.
Coaches and fans still study his game performance on classic highlight tape. Owens earned All-Pro honors in 2000, 2001 and 2002, plus All-NFC each season. Teams used detailed playbook schemes and film study to feed him the ball.
His career achievements raised the bar in professional sports.
Philadelphia Eagles (2004–2005)
Owens joined the Eagles in 2004 and shook up the playbook, catching 77 passes and piling up over 1,200 yards, per Pro Football Reference. He lit up big games, scored three title game touchdowns, and had Philly fans cheering at every catch.
Joining the Eagles and impact on the team
Terrell Owens joined the NFC franchise from Philadelphia as a free agent in 2004. The club bolstered its receiving corps in 2004 and 2005, sparking energy on game day. Fans marveled at each catch, and the pro football league saw a rise in performance.
He snagged All-Pro and All-Conference nods in 2004. Teammates praised his grit and say he lifted team dynamics from practice drills to playoff prep. That impact player reshaped the conference outlook.
Memorable moments, including Super Bowl XXXIX
He battled back from a torn ACL to star in the playoffs. His injury recovery amazed football fans. Philadelphia used creative playbook shifts and video analysis to sync his routes with quarterback Donovan McNabb.
His teamwork shone in critical moments. The Eagles marched to Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005. They chased a championship.
He hauled in five catches for 122 yards under the bright lights. The crowd roared at each touchdown catch. Coaches praised his performance in the film room. He earned a Pro Bowl nod for his AllStar season.
The Eagles fell 24-21, but they claimed a moral victory.
Dallas Cowboys (2006–2008)
Owens stormed into Dallas, hauling in 81 passes for 1,355 yards, and turned the Cowboys’ offense into a highlight reel. An analytics system mapped each route, while Hall of Fame chatter echoed through the stands.
Signing with the Cowboys and notable performances
Dallas signed him before the 2006 season. He led the NFL with 13 regular season touchdowns that year. Coaches burned hours of game video to craft plays around his sharp routes. His performance earned a Pro Bowl nod, and helped the team clinch the NFC East title for the first time since 1988.
He ripped through defenses with 15 touchdown receptions in 2007, a Cowboys record. All-Pro and All-NFC honors came next, plus another Pro Bowl trip. Fans still talk about those highlight-reel grabs, and opponents feared his deep speed.
Key contributions and controversies during his tenure
He joined the Cowboys in 2006, after three Pro Bowl seasons and ready for more football. He played through a serious tendon injury in that first year. His contributions turned a struggling passing game into a real threat.
He led the team in catches and yards in 2006 and 2007. He hauled in more than 3,000 yards and 22 touchdowns by the end of his tenure.
He stole headlines with a bold off-field persona. He tangled with coaches in practice, and he sparred with the press box camera crew. His antics sparked controversy, and his visibility soared.
He became a lightning rod for cheers and jeers. He polarized a locker room that once prized unity.
Buffalo Bills (2009)
Owens joined Buffalo in 2009 as a veteran wide receiver, he tallied seventy-two grabs and eleven scores. Visit Pro Football Reference, it shows his yard chart and scoring runs.
Brief stint with the Bills and notable achievements
In 2009, Owens joined the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo gave him one season on its roster. The veteran caught 55 receptions for 829 yards. Five touchdown catches came that year. Those marks made him only the sixth player in the NFL to clear 1,000 career receptions.
A 98-yard grab from Ryan Fitzpatrick versus the Jacksonville Jaguars became a franchise record.
That lightning strike lit up SportsCenter and Pro Football Reference. The play became a signature Football moment for the team. His performance drew fans across the country. Veteran presence added vital leadership to a young receiving corps.
Cincinnati Bengals (2010)
He signed with the Bengals in 2010 as a free agent, caught 48 passes for 587 yards and six touchdowns, and proved he could still light up the scoreboard—read on to see what came next!
One season with the Bengals and performance highlights
Owens ended his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010. That year, he started all 16 games as a wide receiver. He posted solid performance, racking up catches and yards. He added to his career totals while guiding younger receivers through film study.
Owens worked through practice drills and game tape every week. The veteran helped the team score key touchdowns in clutch moments. His career know-how and stamina training inspired the squad.
One season with the Bengals brought a fitting close to his pro football journey.
Allen Wranglers (2012)
Owens lit up the Allen Wranglers in 2012, hauling in long passes like a rodeo star in a tight arena. He hit the film room, leaned on his NFL playbook, and sparked the Indoor Football League with big plays.
Playing in the Indoor Football League
The Allen Wranglers signed him in 2012, and media coverage spiked. He stepped into the Indoor Football League with a celebrated pro past. Fans packed the seats, and arena football got fresh eyes.
Teams in the professional sports league watched closely, as marketing teams took notice.
Ticket offices rang up more calls, and fan engagement rose. Local outlets praised the high profile move, and player recruitment got a push. After one season, he left, but the buzz lasted across team competition networks.
Contributions and departure from the team
Owens joined the Wranglers as star receiver and part-owner in 2012. His performance fueled ticket sales each week. Ownership stirred fresh funds, he ramped up drills, he lit up home stands.
He pushed coaches to tweak their playbook.
Midway through the season, he left the squad. Injuries slowed him down, and disputes with management grew. Departure mixed game-day woes with boardroom fights. Fans saw him exit before the playoffs.
Seattle Seahawks (2012 Preseason)
Owens hit the field in Seattle, carving crisp routes through the Seahawks’ route concepts from the revamped game plan. He snapped on protective equipment, then tore across the turf in drills like a heat-seeking missile on the quarterback’s spiral, while the skipper studied every catch on film breakdown.
Short-lived preseason stint with the Seahawks
Terrell Owens joined the Seattle Seahawks for their 2012 NFL preseason roster challenge. The veteran aimed for an NFL comeback after his Indoor Football League stint. Coaches watched him run crisp routes in team workouts.
He saw limited action in two preseason games, making a handful of grabs. Management measured his speed and football instincts against younger players. The athlete did not earn a spot on the final roster of 53 players.
Other Football Ventures
He dropped his cleats into a touch play tournament, showing he still had the fire on smaller fields, and he even caught the eye at a maple leaf league audition. Then he gave fans the reins in a crowd-run indoor gridiron league, and he studied routes on a digital playbook app, leaving coaches chuckling and crowds brimming.
Flag football participation
Owens laced up his cleats for celebrity flag football tournaments, and fans flocked to the sidelines. He jumped into competitions with former pros, college stars, and local heroes.
Cameras followed his every catch, breakaway run, and performance under pressure. Each showcase felt electric, with crowds cheering from end zone to sideline. His presence turned small fields into major sports events.
Athletes teamed with him on lawn turf, ready for fast cuts and quick passes. Media crews buzzed around scoreboards and time clocks, capturing every stunt. Sponsors snapped up banners, while teams formed up for bracket play.
His flag football participation boosted engagement, and it attracted crowds nationwide. Fun and fierce play kept the action rolling.
Canadian Football League tryout
Terrell Owens chased a Canadian Football League tryout in 2012. He eyed extending his professional football career in a new league. Scouts used performance metrics, drills and video analysis to gauge his speed and hands.
Teams saw him as a seasoned competitor, driven to earn another sports contract. Coaches offered an athletic opportunity to prove worth on the field. Sponsors eyed endorsement talks if he thrived in camp.
Fan Controlled Football League involvement
Owens joined the Fan Controlled Football League in 2021. Fans used a mobile ballot tool for digital participation. They called plays, picked rosters, and set team names. This model drove interactive sports, scored high in fan engagement, and sparked sports innovation.
Owens kept up the buzz with live streams and a new voting console. That move fueled franchise development in small towns, it boosted local pride. Fans drove entertainment, they used viewer control to call shots just like coaches.
Career Statistics and Achievements
Owens piled up over 15,000 receiving yards and 153 touchdowns, numbers any wideout would envy. His page on a popular football stats site lists 15 all-star selections, five first-team nods and a league record for most catches in one playoff run.
NFL regular season statistics
This HTML table works with most spreadsheets and Data analysis tools to show his regular season stats.
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Receptions | 1,078 |
| Receiving Yards | 15,934 |
| Receiving Touchdowns | 153 |
| All-Time Receptions Rank | Eighth |
| All-Time Yardage Rank | Second (at retirement) |
| All-Time Touchdown Rank | Third (at retirement) |
NFL postseason statistics
Owens starred in 13 playoff games, hauling in 82 catches, surging for 1,161 yards, and finding the end zone eight times.
| Games Played | Receptions | Yards | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 82 | 1,161 | 8 |
Records and accolades
Take a peek at his standout marks.
| Record | Detail | Entity |
|---|---|---|
| All-Pro Selections | Five times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007) | Associated Press |
| All-NFC Selections | Four times (2000; 2001; 2002; 2007) | NFC Coaches Poll |
| Pro Bowl Nods | Six between 2001 and 2008 | Fan Vote System |
| All-Decade Team | Named to NFL’s 2000s squad | NFL All-Decade Committee |
| Single-Game Catch Record | 20 receptions vs. Chicago Bears, Dec 17, 2000 | NFL Game Logs |
Memorable Touchdown Celebrations
He stormed into the end zone, struck his flying hero stance, then spun into a jig that made NFL Films’ Game Tape pop—keep reading to catch every iconic move.
Iconic celebrations with the 49ers
Owens lit up Candlestick Park. Fans saw him cross the endzone like a stage. He raised an arm and drew an imaginary bow, flexing in a power stance. Memorable celebrations became video replay and league footage staples, inspiring fan forums and sports highlight shows.
His flair and athleticism turned every touchdown into a live performance.
Bow and arrow moves and helicopter spins earned headlines. Teammates formed impromptu celebration circles on the sidelines. Video replay caught every leap and pivot, slow motion highlighted athletic grace.
Critics praised his showmanship, fans relished the extra entertainment. His acts set a new bar for endzone antics.
Celebrations with the Eagles and Cowboys
The star kept his headline-making tradition alive in midnight green, as he powered into the endzone with a chest bump. The Cowboys phase saw guitar pulls, mike stands and a knee slide in Dallas that set off boos and cheers.
Critics and fans argued passionately after each touchdown celebration painted the turf in drama.
League chiefs rewrote rules on endzone acts after these wild performances, using instant replay in new ways. Players learned the hard way about 15 yard flags, fines and tighter hand signals.
These rituals changed how the NFL treated spectacle, sportsmanship and recognition near the goal line.
Takeaways
Terrell Owens raced through five NFL stops, each one adding a new chapter. He lit up San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, Buffalo, and Cincinnati with jaw dropping catches. Fans remember his 20 catch game and that epic end zone spin.
He chased records and left defenders in the dust. His career stats speak for themselves. This journey still sparks debate, laughs, and awe, from NFL Draft fodder to Hall of Fame chatter.
For more insights on Terrell Owens’ illustrious career and to find out how many rings Terrell Owens has, visit our detailed page.
FAQs
1. Which teams did Terrell Owens play for in his legendary career?
In his legendary career, Terrell Owens played for five teams. He started with the San Francisco Bay team, moved on to the Philadelphia Eagles, joined the Dallas squad, signed with the Buffalo Bills, and finished with the Seattle Seahawks.
2. Which team did he spend the most time with?
He spent eight seasons with the San Francisco Bay team, his longest stop. He hit the ground running there, catching passes and headlines.
3. What order did Owens join these teams in?
He began with the San Francisco Bay team. In 2004 he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. A year later he moved on to the Dallas squad. Then came the Buffalo Bills in 2007. He wrapped up with the Seattle Seahawks in 2008.
4. Which team gave him his final NFL home?
He finished his NFL run with the Seattle Seahawks in 2008. That was the last stop of his career, under the rainy Northwest sky.
