Trust the Grind. Jeremy Bhandari

This, of course, was to work on his lateral quickness. A budding star in the NFL who would spend his off days playing hoops and summers training outside of his grandma’s house, Owens never lost focus of trying to be not just good, but legendary.

      To prolong his career, Owens took exceptional care of his health. T.O.’s breakfast consisted of egg whites, oatmeal, and either a chicken or turkey sausage. He stayed away from fried foods and, although never a big drinker, made sure from 2000 onward to not consume any alcohol during the season.

      From 2000 to 2002, Owens made three straight Pro Bowls and was selected First-Team All-Pro at the end of each season. During that three-year span, Owens led all NFL players with 42 receiving touchdowns. After another solid season in 2003, it was time for a new chapter in T.O.’s football life. In March 2004, Owens became a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, who were coming off back-to-back seasons of reaching the NFC Championship Game. With Owens now out wide, the sky was the limit. While many Philly fans expected big things, I don’t think anyone anticipated the impact that Terrell Owens was about to have on the franchise in 2004.

      In his debut game, Owens pulled down three touchdowns. Through the first ten games of the year, he led all NFL players with 13 receiving touchdowns. After a December win over the Washington Redskins, the Eagles, poised to make a Super Bowl run, led the NFC with a record of 12–1.

      However, the next week, against the rival Dallas Cowboys, Owens sustained his first major injury. After being ripped down on a horse-collar tackle by Cowboys safety Roy Williams, Owens was in pain. He refused to get on the medical cart. Instead, T.O. limped off the field and headed toward the bench. After the game, the medical results were in. Owens had severely sprained his ankle and fractured his fibula. The injury would require surgery, which included the insertion of a screw into his leg. T.O.’s season appeared to be over.

      Philadelphia finished the regular season at 13–3, earning a first-round bye in the 2004 NFL Playoffs. With Owens on the sidelines, they defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Divisional Round and took down the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game a week later. Philadelphia was headed to their first Super Bowl since 1980.

      Although they stayed afloat without Owens, it was clear that Philly would be overmatched without their star receiver against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX. The Patriots had won two of the previous three Super Bowls and lost only two games during the 2004 season.

      Despite being on one leg and receiving disheartening information from doctors who said he wouldn’t be able to walk in time for the gridiron showdown, Owens made sure he would not miss the big game. “Anything is possible if you keep faith in Him,” Owens told me. With his faith in God, the use of Microcurrent, and a hyperbaric chamber, Owens was ready to go. Since the doctors did not clear him to play, he was forced to sign a medical waver to release the Eagles of any liability. In a Boston.com article, Dr. William Morgan of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center said, “He could suffer a career-ending injury if someone hits him in a certain way below the knee.”

      Many would not even dare to attempt what Terrell was about to do, but that’s what separates Owens from the herd. He was built for these types of moments. All that time grinding alone in the weight room at college. All that time running sprints outside his grandma’s house. All that time spent down on the courts in the gyms of Oakland. Owens was a driven warrior who sacrificed too much to miss this.

      Although Philadelphia ultimately fell short in the game, Owens played out of his mind. On one leg, the receiver defied the odds and caught nine passes for 122 yards. To this day, it is one of the most memorable performances in Super Bowl history.

      In 2008, as a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Owens became the first player in NFL history, age thirty-five or older, to have a 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown season. Only Jerry Rice has more 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown seasons than the kid from Alexander City. Owens would finish his career with six Pro Bowl selections and five first-team All-Pros. He currently ranks third all-time in receiving touchdowns, third in receiving yards, and seventh in career receptions. In 2018, to cap off his illustrious and sensational career, Owens was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the highest honor for any former player. Not bad for someone who didn’t start on his high school football team until his senior year.