Ranking the top 25 wide receivers in NFL history…
3. Terrell Owens
Drafted 89th overall in the third round by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1996 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Owens quickly emerged as a dominant force, known for his physicality and production.
Over eight seasons with the 49ers (1996-2003), Owens recorded 592 receptions for 8,572 yards and 81 touchdowns, highlighted by his 2000 campaign with 97 catches for 1,451 yards and 13 scores.
He set an NFL single-game record with 20 receptions for 283 yards against the Bears that year. Traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004, Owens helped lead them to Super Bowl XXXIX, playing through an injured leg to post nine catches for 122 yards in the loss.
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His 2004 season featured 77 receptions for 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns. Stints with the Dallas Cowboys (2006-2008), Buffalo Bills (2009), and Cincinnati Bengals (2010) followed.
Owens’ career totals include 1,078 receptions, 15,934 yards (third all-time) and 153 touchdowns (third all-time) across 219 games. He earned six Pro Bowl selections, five first-team All-Pro honors and induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
Owens’ standout attributes were his imposing size (6-foot-3, 224 pounds), elite speed (4.63-second 40-yard dash) and vertical leap, enabling him to dominate in jump-ball situations and after the catch. His playing style was that of a physical powerhouse: explosive off the line, aggressive in traffic and a yards-after-catch specialist who often broke tackles.
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Criticized for off-field controversies and team disruptions, his talent was nonetheless undeniable.
But who ranks ahead of Owens at No. 2 all-time?