Contrite Owens Wants To Play for Eagles
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

MOORESTOWN, N.J. – For once, Terrell Owens put aside his pride, admitted he was wrong and pleaded for a second chance with the Philadelphia Eagles. The team appeared unmoved.
A contrite Owens, hoping to overturn his dismissal from the Eagles, apologized yesterday to coach Andy Reid, quarterback Donovan McNabb, the team’s owner and president, and fans.
“The mentality that I have, my greatest strength can also be my greatest weakness,” Owens said, reading a statement outside his house. “I’m a fighter. I’ve always been and I’ll always be. I fight for what I think is right. In doing so, I alienated a lot of my fans and my teammates. This is very painful for me to be in this position,” he said. “I know in my heart that I can help the team win the Super Bowl and not only be a dominant player, but also be a team player. I can bring that.”
Owens’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Owens made a public apology in hopes of returning to the Eagles immediately.
“We hope he plays again for the Philadelphia Eagles,” Rosenhaus said. “We hope he plays right away.We hope he plays against the Dallas Cowboys” on Monday night.
Team spokesman Derek Boyko said the Eagles had no comment, but team sources have reportedly confirmed that Owens will not be invited back to the team despite the apology.
A day earlier, Owens was told by the team not to return this season because of “a large number of situations that accumulated over a long period of time,” Reid said. He also said Owens had been “warned repeatedly about the consequences of his actions.”
The All-Pro wide receiver didn’t play in Sunday night’s 17-10 loss at Washington, and will remain suspended for three more games without pay. After that, the Eagles plan to deactivate him for the rest of the season.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said yesterday that the players’ union has filed a grievance on behalf of Owens seeking to overturn the suspension.
Owens was suspended Saturday, two days after he said the Eagles showed “a lack of class” for not publicly recognizing his 100th career touchdown catch in a game on October 23. In the same interview with ESPN.com, Owens said the Eagles would be better off with Green Bay’s Brett Favre at quarterback instead of McNabb.
Owens apologized to the organization for making those comments, but didn’t address McNabb, even though the statement he read from included a direct apology to the five-time Pro Bowl quarterback. This time, Owens said he was sorry not only to Reid and McNabb, but also to Eagles president Joe Banner and owner Jeffrey Lurie.
“I would like to reiterate my respect for Donovan McNabb as a quarterback and as a teammate,” Owens said. “I apologize to him for any comments that may have been negative.”
The Eagles are 4-4 this season and last in the NFC East. Last year, they were the top team in the conference, going 13-3 on the way to the Super Bowl.
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JETS SIGN HELP
The Jets signed receivers Harry Williams Jr. and Dante Ridgeway to the active roster yesterday after losing Wayne Chrebet for the year.
Williams, a rookie seventh-round pick, and Ridgeway were on the practice squad. Also yesterday, the Jets officially placed Chrebet (concussion) and tight end Chris Baker (ankle) on injured reserve. Their addition gives the Jets nine players on IR this season.
In other moves, the Jets signed tight end Corey Lamkin and rookie wide receiver Craig Bragg to the practice squad. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound Lamkin played basketball at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, averaging 13 points and 7.8 rebounds a game as a senior forward. Ridgeway and Bragg are also rookies.
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ROETHLISBERGER OUT
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger won’t play for the second straight week as he recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Charlie Batch, who made his first start in four years in a 20-10 victory last Sunday in Green Bay, will go again Sunday night against Cleveland in Pittsburgh.
After Roethlisberger had surgery last week to remove damaged cartilage from his right knee, coach Bill Cowher said he would be out 10 to 14 days. Now, the Steelers hope he returns for the November 20 game at Baltimore.
Batch was 9-of-16 for 65 yards against the Packers after previously throwing only eight passes since joining the Steelers in 2002.