Terrell Owens Receives Career Blessing From Minister, Still Faithful About NFL Return
Terrell Owens, 37-year-old IFL wide receiver, has not given up on his NFL dreams and recently received a blessing from a Christian minister to return to the league.
Derrick L Young, Archbishop and Patriarch of Abundant Life International Fellowship Inc., a part of the Pentecostal Holiness denomination, tweeted a blessing to Owens after the former NFL wideout spoke about his desire to return to the league.
"I declare and decree in the name of Jesus that whatever you do in your life from this minute forward is going to be fruitful," Young tweeted to Owens.
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Owens re-tweeted the message, one week after publicly declaring that he definitely plans to play an NFL game once again. Owens spoke with Jim Miller and co-host Adam Schein on SiriusXM NFL Radio last week about his plans to play in the NFL once again after missing out on the 2011-2012 season.
"Definitely, that is the plan. I'm keeping myself in shape," Owens said. "I'm sure everyone knows I'm playing in the Indoor Football League with the Allen Wranglers. I'm using it as a way to keep myself in shape to play a few more years."
Owens' IFL team currently holds a 5-1 record and he credits the indoor league for helping him overcome an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament.
"As far as health, I'm fine. I'm just looking for an opportunity," Owens said in the SiriusXM NFL Radio interview. "The Indoor League is quicker…it's faster than the outdoor game. It has enhanced my route running ability. If anything, I've benefited from, and noticed how quick coming in and out of my breaks I've become."
Owens has leaned on his Christian faith during his attempt to return from his injury, despite the fact that no NFL teams picked him up last season. When no NFL teams were on hand to witness his highly publicized workout that was supposed to prove his ability to return to the league in October, Owens remained confident in God.
"I feel confident God has put me in a situation to be here today to show people that with hard work you can come back from anything," Owens told ESPN. "I don't need all 32 teams out there regardless of if there is none here. I just need one."
Owens, who last played for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010 before finishing the season on injured reserve for the first time in his 15-year NFL career, led the team with 72 receptions, 983 yards and nine touchdowns. Although he recovered from the injury quickly, the wideout said he didn't understand why he has yet to be picked up by an NFL team.
Still, he said he deserves to be on an NFL team.
"I cannot say why I'm not on a team other than that I can tell you about what I will give your team every Sunday," Owens told Miller. "I have always earned my place on a team. I don't mind coming in playing for the minimum and working my way up."
