Terrell Owens

Welcome to B/R Gridiron's Rivalry Week, when we're breaking down some of the best ongoing team-level conflicts in the NFL. In this spot, we look at two NFC East rivals who have long despised each other, partly because one has had a lot more success than the other.

This is everything you need to know about decades of strife between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.

   

Rivalry Facts

First meeting: Sept. 30, 1960—In the second game in Cowboys history, the Eagles (who would win the NFL championship) merely survived with a 27-25 victory over a team that wouldn't win a game all season.

All-time series: 122 meetings—Cowboys 69, Eagles 53. Dallas has won three of four playoff meetings and 14 of 23 overall since 2009.

What makes them hate each other: The Eagles have one of the most passionate and rabid fanbases in sports. Ever since "America's Team" joined Philly's division in 1961, those fans haven't had a lot to cheer for while the glamorous, antithetical Cowboys have won five Super Bowls.

When the rivalry was born: Jan. 11, 1981—It was a rivalry before that, but from 1967 to 1980, Philadelphia beat Dallas just four times in 27 matchups. The Eagles finally flexed their muscles by easily defeating Tom Landry's Cowboys as a one-point underdog at Veterans Stadium in the 1980 NFC Championship Game. The rivalry only increased in bitterness moving forward.

   

Memorable Battles and Iconic Moments

Nov. 12, 1979: The Eagles lost their first eight games at Texas Stadium until they finally beat a team that had been to three of the last four Super Bowls. The victory was necessary for Philly to clinch only its second playoff berth since 1960. In the first half, Eagles kicker Tony Franklin nailed a 59-yard field goal, which was the second-longest in NFL history at the time.

Oct. 25, 1987: Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan had accused Tom Landry of running up the score in the past and was apparently irked when Landry had used several picket line-crossing veterans in a one-sided victory in the midst of a players' strike two weeks prior. Philadelphia not only won the rematch at Veterans Stadium, but Ryan also rubbed it in by having quarterback Randall Cunningham run a fake kneel in the final seconds, drawing a pass interference penalty that led to a touchdown. "If there wasn't bad blood before," color commentator Joe Theismann said, "there's going to be bad blood now."

Nov. 23 and Dec. 10, 1989: These matchups from '89 are known as Bounty Bowl I and II because Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson claimed Ryan put a bounty on Dallas kicker Luis Zendejas, who was smashed on the opening kickoff in the first meeting. That sparked a war of words between Johnson and Ryan, and when the two met again in December, Eagles fans pelted Johnson and other Cowboys folk with snowballs.

Jan. 10, 1993: In the teams' first Texas-based playoff meeting, the Cowboys scored 34 uninterrupted points and hammered the Eagles en route to winning Super Bowl XXVII.

Oct. 31, 1993: In Philadelphia, Emmitt Smith rushed for 237 yards as Dallas won 23-10. It was a career high for Smith—and a team record until 2011. No back has ever rushed for more yards against the Eagles.

Jan. 7, 1996: The Cowboys scored 27 unanswered points in another postseason blowout en route to another Super Bowl victory.

Oct. 10, 1999: When legendary Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin suffered a career-ending injury, Eagles fans cheered and then proceeded to chant "Deion sucks" when Deion Sanders attempted to comfort his teammate.

Dec. 19, 2004: The Super Bowl-bound Eagles beat the Cowboys but lost star receiver Terrell Owens, who broke his ankle on a horse-collar tackle by Dallas safety Roy Williams. Owens was unavailable until Super Bowl XXXIX.

Oct. 8, 2006: Owens suited up for the first time as a Cowboy against his former team, but he caught just three passes in a 38-24 Eagles victory.

Jan. 9, 2010: After defeating the Eagles twice by a combined 44-16 in the regular season, the Cowboys again beat Philadelphia in a penalty-plagued playoff matchup. The 34-14 loss was Donovan McNabb's last game as an Eagle.

Dec. 29, 2013: In a Week 17 matchup with the NFC East title on the line, the Cowboys used backup quarterback Kyle Orton in place of the injured Tony Romo. Dallas lost by two points after Brandon Boykin intercepted Orton late in the fourth quarter.

Dec. 9, 2018: With the NFC East up for grabs, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott hooked up with receiver Amari Cooper on two go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdowns and then another one to win it in overtime. Thirty-seven points were scored in the fourth quarter and overtime in a game that decided the division.

   

Top Player Comparisons

Roger Staubach vs. Donovan McNabb: You could sub Norm Van Brocklin for McNabb if you'd like, but it's hard to compare either to Dallas' legendary quarterback group of Staubach, Troy Aikman, Don Meredith, Tony Romo and Danny White.

Emmitt Smith vs. Steve Van Buren: Smith is the league's all-time leading rusher, and Dallas also had Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett at running back. Because Van Buren played seven decades ago, it's easier to compare those two to Brian Westbrook, who was never on the same level. That said, Van Buren retired in 1951 as one of the greatest players in history. He was a five-time All-Pro (Smith earned that honor four times).

Michael Irvin vs. Harold Carmichael: Carmichael is a Hall of Famer but was never quite as dominant as Irvin, who was a star on three Super Bowl teams.

Bob Lilly vs. Reggie White: They're two of the most dominant defensive players in league history. White received more Pro Bowl (13-11) and All-Pro (8-7) honors, but he did some of his best work as a member of the Green Bay Packers. Dallas fans can also throw Randy White's name out there when discussing great defensive linemen.

Chuck Howley vs. Chuck Bednarik: This is the closest thing we have to an apples-to-apples comparison, as their careers overlapped for five years. Bednarik, who along with Reggie White and Van Buren was recently named to the NFL's 100th anniversary all-time team, was the more accomplished of the two linebackers. (Landry, Staubach, Smith, Lilly and Randy White also made the all-time team.)

Larry Allen vs. Bob Brown: Both are Hall of Fame offensive linemen, but Allen was part of a Super Bowl team and was a Pro Bowler and All-Pro more than Brown. He's also on the 100th anniversary all-time team, while Brown is not. 

   

Winning Arguments

Why it's better to be an Eagles fan: Since the Cowboys last played in a conference championship game in 1995, the Eagles have won a Super Bowl, lost another and played in four additional conference title games.

Why it's better to be a Cowboys fan: Dallas is a five-time Super Bowl winner and the winningest NFC team of the modern era.

Like many across the country and world, Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens is attempting to find ways to pass the time while social distancing. 

As a result, Owens launched the "COVID-19 Driveway Challenge" and tagged a number of stars including LeBron James, Chris Paul, The Rock and Chad Johnson:

The TO #COVID19 #DRIVEWAYCHALLENGE. Calling @ShannonSharpe @CP3 @alberttate @hatch89 @ochocinco @marcelluswiley @KingJames @TheRock @DwyaneWade @JClarkNBCS pic.twitter.com/I7K6ci17HM

— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) March 30, 2020

Just tell yo baby  to get in that driveway and give me my 19 SIT-UPS!! #DRIVEWAYCHALLENGE
I need and want ALL THE SMOKE 藍 https://t.co/Pou95RHsle

— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) March 30, 2020

Apparently former teammate Donovan McNabb isn't invited, as Owens referenced McNabb allegedly vomiting during Super Bowl XXXIX:

He may puke 🤮
🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/QQ9u3tvk6q

— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) March 30, 2020

The five-time All-Pro famously gave a press conference while performing sit-ups in his driveway in August 2005 after he got into an argument with then-Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid. Give him credit for devising a way for fans to get in a good self-quarantine workout, though.

And obviously there's still no love lost between Owens and McNabb.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens isn't hiding his frustration at being left off the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

The team was revealed through a series of specials on NFL Network during the 2019 season, and T.O. was not one of the 10 wide receivers included, which he believes is an injustice, according to Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports: "I'm not on it, but I know I'm one of the top 100 athletes to play the game. I'm a bit pissed off. It's disrespectful."

The list of wideouts selected to the team was Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Raymond Berry, Don Hutson, Paul Warfield, Lance Alworth, Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Largent, Marvin Harrison and Elroy Hirsch.

Owens expressed his belief that he, Rice and Moss are a cut above the rest: "You make a list like that, your first three receivers have to be Jerry Rice, myself and Randy Moss. You can add whoever else after that."

It is difficult to argue with Owens' assessment, as the six-time Pro Bowler and five-time First Team All-Pro ranks eighth all-time in receptions (1,078), third in receiving yardage (15,934) and third in receiving touchdowns (153).

Owens was seemingly in disbelief over some of the receivers who were chosen over him for the list:

"No disrespect to anyone on the list, but Don Huston, Elroy 'Jetson' Hirsch ... I don't even know these guys. ... Look at [Largent's] highlights and my highlights. It's a no brainer. It's no disrespect to anyone else, but if you do that list, it has to start with me, Jerry Rice and Randy Moss. It just lends to the lack of credibility of these guys who are in charge of the history of the game. It doesn't make any sense."

After getting snubbed twice for the Hall of Fame despite putting up first-ballot numbers during his career, Owens did not attend the Hall of Fame ceremony in Canton, Ohio, in 2018, and he believes that played a role in him being left off the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

T.O. feels Hall of Fame executive Joe Horrigan, who was part of the 26-person selection committee for the NFL 100 All-Time Team, has it out for him: "He's pissed off so this is his way to get back at me."

Owens never won a Super Bowl and the constant narrative during his career was that he wasn't a good teammate, but based purely off production, it is difficult to truthfully claim that he isn't one of the 10 best wide receivers ever.

Dak Prescott is apparently not Terrell Owens' quarterback.

The former NFL star who spent three high-profile years with the Cowboys went on sports radio in Dallas to proclaim that the quarterback the team needs to win right now is none other than Tom Brady.

"They have a quarterback that's a free agent in Tom Brady," Owens told the Joe, Lo & Dibs show on 95.7 The Game. "That's the next move."

To be clear, it's not that Owens believes that Prescott isn't the solution at quarterback in Dallas. The wideout feels he's read the mind of Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones.

"He hasn't extended Dak's contract," Owens said of Jones. "So, that leads me to believe he truly doesn't believe in Dak. If he had, then I think he would have already got a contract extension."

True, Prescott's contract is one of the league's most pressing issues. The quarterback job in Dallas will seemingly remain one of the NFL's marquee gigs forever. That comes with a responsibility to lead the team to glory, which Prescott hasn't exactly done. In three playoff games, Prescott is 1-2 with an average passer rating of 95.7. That being said, Prescott is a two-time Pro Bowler and was the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016. 

Is that enough to remain the starter in Dallas? 

Jones just replaced longtime (by NFL standards) head coach Jason Garrett after nine seasons on the sidelines after remaining fiercely loyal to him for years. If that's a harbinger of Jones' mindset moving forward, then Prescott has reason to worry. 

Whether Brady is the correct player to replace Prescott is an entirely different issue. If the New England Patriots do close the door on their franchise quarterback, the line for Brady's services will surround his agent's office. If giving a massive payday to Prescott is an issue for Jones, bidding for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time might even make billionaires flinch.

It's also fair to say Jones will not be swayed by Owens' thoughts. The 77-year-old owner isn't known for letting outside noise influence his decisions. 

Terrell Owens thinks Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett should have been fired a long time ago. That said, he believes the organization's dysfunction begins with owner Jerry Jones.

"Anytime there's any type of dysfunction, turmoil, it starts from the top down," Owens told TMZ Sports. "It starts with him."

Owens added he believes Garrett is the "main" problem in Dallas and has failed to live up to expectations, but Jones' loyalty to the coach has exacerbated the issue. 

"I think everybody's just as puzzled as I am as to why Jason Garrett still holds on to this job," Owens said.

Garrett is in his 10th season as the Cowboys' coach. He's led the team to an 83-66 record and only has one losing season under his belt (he took over for Wade Phillips partway through the 2010 campaign), but he has never gotten past the divisional round of the playoffs. That's despite having a pair of star quarterbacks, Tony Romo and Dak Prescott, over the course of his tenure.

The Cowboys offense ranks as arguably the league's most talented, with Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper as a proverbial Big Three and flanked by one of the game's best offensive lines. 

Owens previously called on Jones to stop "meddling" and fire Garrett in November.

"He needs to quit meddling," Owens told TMZ Sports of Jones. "He's in the cookie jar too much. He's handling too much."

Owens has firsthand knowledge of the Cowboys organization, having played there from 2006 to 2008. Garrett was the team's offensive coordinator for Owens' final two seasons in Dallas.   

Former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb sat down with Bleacher Report on Thursday to dish on his relationship with Terrell Owens, his favorite moments of his career and whether a hot dog is a sandwich. 

It's not, according to McNabb.

Here is a look at the highlights from Wednesday's session from the Bleacher Report app.

   

@mahomesless: Would you go on a picnic with T.O. if he invited you?

McNabb: Uhhhhhh, no

  

@bigfacetrey: Are you and T.O. good now?

I'm always good. Take good how you want it. 

@yaddadabba: Antonio Brown and T.O. are both Hall of Fame talents with sometimes disruptive personality traits. With the Eagles current receiving troubles, is AB worth the risk to sign?

McNabb: No. I think they've been down that road somewhat years ago and I think the key for Carson is to find someone that he can grow down the road with and it'll make the things better.

@PhillyBoul: Why do you think the Eagles are doing bad?

McNabb: I just think they don't have an identity. I think for this football team in the beginning it was trying to showcase Carson to try and please the fan and show them that he's their guy and they took away from what Ertz and Howard can give to the team. They just kind of been behind 

The 8 ball every week, because they didn't form an identity. 

   

@Northern19: Who have you got for the Super Bowl this year?

McNabb: Well I had the Eagles if they had stayed healthy, but at this point I'm going to say Kansas City and Seattle

   

@hexcryptor: Who is your favorite locker room personality?

McNabb: Probably Hugh Douglas. We had a run for a while where things were quite entertaining in the locker room, starting with music. 

   

@fish5613: Who is the quarterback GOAT?

McNabb: Uhhh, Tom Brady. Joe wasn't in my era, and he was the GOAT in my eyes going in, but Tom has proved more than any of us ever imagined. People say, 'Oh he hasn't won MVPs,' but he put up gaudy numbers and proved that winning counts more than stats. 

  

@BballGiant32: Who are the top 5 QBs of all time?

McNabb: No particular order, and I've had this argument with lots of people, but Joe Montana, John Elway, Troy Aikman, Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady 

  

@js: If you punch yourself and it hurts, are you strong or are you weak? 

McNabb: In my regard, I'm strong. 

  

@Jamaal2440: What is your favorite pair of shoes?

McNabb: Jordans. Any type of Jordans. I think I had the Jordan XIs with the green leather on the bottom and the white. But I had a special shoe for myself, Randy and Charles Woodson. My FAVORITE ones were the Jordan 19s, they didn't come out much and people didn't see them, but I loved them. 

   

@mrprofessor: What team did you like to play the least?

McNabb: There wasn't any team I 'disliked' playing. No matter who they had on their team, it kind of brought something out of me and I think for a lot of players, whatever motivates you to get you to that point of that mentality or that attitude, we try and find it. And if it was an NFC East team, I was always fired up to play and if we were out of conference, and playing the Patriots was always the challenge, playing against Tom. Playing against Brett, I looked at it like me vs. Brett which was Bird vs. Jordan. But it was just fun. 

 

@mone: If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring 3 things…

McNabb: Food, Food and a Radio that didn't need batteries or plug in. 

 

@anthony_west: What current player do you see as being the closest to your style?

McNabb: Russell Wilson. He presents that winning mentality and a passion for the game that is unexplainable. He also presents the WOW factor, which isn't always about scrambling for 100 yards, but being able to wait and help your teammates make big plays. 

 

@ZJS12: Can you describe the mental toll playing football plays on a person?

McNabb: The frustration, the ups and downs, the balance between being high all the time to the low drops and people get frustrated because they don't know how to handle it. That's the grind and you have to be ready for it. 

   

@LarryBigbie: Is a hot dog a sandwich?

McNabb: No. What kind of sandwich are y'all eating? A hot dog is a hot dog. The real question is...do you put ketchup on a hotdog? 

  

@Whope97 Favorite memory from the 2004 squad that made it all the way to the Super Bowl?

McNabb: Finally getting over the hump against Atlanta and winning an NFC Championship. Not only winning, but winning it at home when the confetti started to come down. We enjoyed every bit of it. You know, families enjoyed the moment, knowing that we finally made it was the thing I'll always remember. 

  

@David23ryan: Favorite cheese steak spot?

McNabb: Not big on a Cheese Steak but I'll go with Gaetano's 

 

@illsauce: As a Cuse legend, what was your go-to spot on Marshall Street?

McNabb: Acropolis pizza was the spot to go. It was THE SPOT to go. They had the New York style pizza which is extra low, they had the wings were fire, the chicken tenders were on point and they always had every flavor drink you needed. 

  

@Tuddi: Who was the defensive player you were most afraid to face?

McNabb: I would say there were two: one was Strahan, the other was Eric Swan. 

 

@seanzarelli: Who was your favorite receiver in Philly?

McNabb: T.O. only HoFer I had in Philly. 

 

@apbosne1999: Would you rather have a superstar WR or RB?

McNabb: I would rather have a superstar WR as a QB, but I had a star RB which was great. 

 

@mikeylocks: Thoughts on this Josh Shaw situation? Were guys gambling on games when you were in the league?

McNabb: No, no one gambled on any of the games, at least to my knowledge. I think the punishment was one that is settling right now, but I am sure they are going under investigation to find out more. 

 

@Deymeir: No. 5 was there ever your best moment with T.O.? If so, what was it?

McNabb: I would say he had 15 TDs that year in 2004 when we could have had 20+. I think we only played 10 games together that year. We didn't really finish games, I don't think I really finished 4 full quarters for 7 games of the year and just the success that we had. We were an explosive combination. If we could have lasted 5, 6 years, we could have put up some great numbers.

 

@scons19: Do you trust Andy reid to disarm a bomb with 2 minutes left up by 7?

McNabb: Yes, I would trust Andy with my life and he's done wonders for me. Obviously, drafted me in '99 and me being his first QB as a head coach in the NFL and the success we had over a decade will NEVER go unnoticed. 

 

@Derky: Who do you think it the better coach, Andy Reid or Dougie P?

McNabb: I never played for Doug. Doug was actually the starting QB and i was the backup my rookie year, so I respect him a lot, but I only had one coach in philly and that was Andy Reid. 

 

@unrotagoodperson: What is your favorite Andy Reid story?

McNabb: I don't think I have one particular story, just more or less the relationship we had. It was almost kind of like, you finishing his sentence before he gets there. I always kind of knew what he was thinking and we were together for so long that I knew how he felt on different days and why we felt the same way. It's something you build over time and a relationship that can't be broken. 

 

@JRD22: What was your initial reaction when Ronde Barber picked you off and took it to the house in the NFC Championship game?

McNabb: I hate that little dude and he has a twin I hate too. No, I've always respected Ronde. As Michael Strahan went and said at the HoF, I could have done his speech because he sacked me 7 more times than anybody else through his career. I think Ronde has more picks on me than anyone in his career, so I could probably do his speech as well.

Former NFL star Terrell Owens sparred with Stephen A. Smith on First Take Thursday regarding their thoughts on quarterback Colin Kaepernick and it got ugly:

"Stephen A. you have a platform," Owens said. "It's ok to disagree, but it was the way you were going about it. It was almost like you were attacking him." 

"Max almost seems blacker than you, Stephen A.," Owens added later, referring to white co-host Max Kellerman.

Smith clearly didn't appreciate the comments.

"Time out. You done crossed the line," he responded. "... What's the definition of blackness? Is there a definitive definition of blackness?"

As TMZ Sports noted, the two continued to complain about each other after the show on Twitter and Smith's radio show.

Smith has argued that Kaepernick doesn't really want to play in the NFL again after he moved his scheduled workout last Saturday, but Owens reportedly texted the ESPN host Wednesday to say, "You have no idea what you're talking about," per Dave Clark of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The Hall of Fame receiver argued on First Take that Kaepernick only wanted transparency, which he wasn't getting from the NFL-run workout.

Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid has also ripped Smith over his thoughts on Kaepernick.

However, the ESPN host didn't appreciate Owens calling him out over his race.

Former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens, who spent three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, had a message for Jerry Jones on Sunday: Fire Jason Garrett.

And he delivered that message while dressed up for Halloween:

"He needs to quit meddling," Owens told TMZ Sports after he put on a Halloween mask. "First of all, he needs to get rid of Jason Garrett. If he gets rid of Garrett, they definitely have an opportunity to go farther than they ever have. Other than that, man, that's all I can really say about Jerry Jones. Great owner; I just think he's in the cookie jar too much. He's handling too much."

In parts of 10 seasons, Garrett has led the Cowboys to an 81-62 record, though the team has made the playoffs just three times under his watch and has only won two postseason games.

Expectations remain high for the current iteration of the Cowboys, though after a 4-3 start to the season, questions persist regarding Garrett's job status and whether he's the right man to lead a talented Dallas roster.

Count TO among those who don't believe Garrett is up to the task.

The Dallas Cowboys dropped their third straight game Sunday with a 24-22 loss to the previously winless New York Jets.   

Terrell Owens, who played for the Cowboys from 2006-08, is among those not happy. The Hall of Fame receiver called out owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jason Garrett on Twitter after the game while also telling them it's not too late to bring him back: 

Hey @realjerryjones!! Still think Jason Garrett is the answer?! For a decade, A DECADE NOW, it's the same old song and dance! I knew they were going to @JasonWitten on the 3rd down prior to TD and knew they were going to him on the 2-pt conversion. Not too late 2 bring me back 😜

— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) October 13, 2019

Dallas failed to convert a two-point conversion that would have tied the game with 43 seconds left in regulation when quarterback Dak Prescott's pass to tight end Jason Witten fell incomplete. The fact the Cowboys had a chance to tie was improbable in and of itself, as they had fallen behind 21-6 at halftime.

Owens took a shot at Witten, who came out of retirement to return to the Cowboys this season, too:

I'm laughing right with ya @stephenasmith!!!! They really brought @JasonWitten like he was the answer, a ”difference maker!” Really?! 🤷🏾‍♂️ I'm just saying! They got too much talent on that team to be ”undercoached” https://t.co/XS0hqmWI6b

— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) October 14, 2019

Former Cowboys quarterback and current CBS analyst Tony Romo also chimed in on how Garrett might be inhibiting the team:

Tony Romo says he sees a lot of Jason Garrett in the Cowboys' offense. He said it reminds him of 2007-09. He again points out what he considers poor situational play-calling.

— Damon R. Marx (@DamonMarxDMN) October 13, 2019

When asked after the game about Garrett's future in Dallas, however, Jones said, per The Athletic's Jon Machota, "I'm not even coming close to those future type considerations."

Garrett took over as the Cowboys' full-time head coach in 2011 after serving as offensive coordinator from 2007 through 2010. With Garrett as head coach, Dallas has gone 80-62 in the regular season but just 2-3 in the postseason.

Dallas began 2019 with a 3-0 record and was as hot as any team in the league, but it hasn't looked like the same squad since. 

The Cowboys will play the 3-3 Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday night, and the winner will sit atop the NFC East.