It didn’t happen during the 2024 NFL Draft, but Terique Owens — the son of Hall of Fame receiver Terrell Owens — still got his chance at an NFL career.
The wideout, who played college football at Contra Costa College, Florida Atlantic and Missouri State, signed as an undrafted free agent with the 49ers, which is the same organization that made Terrell a third-round pick in 1996.
“I’m proud of him,” Terrell, a five-time All-Pro who finished with nine 1,000-yard seasons, told CBS Sports after his son signed. “All we ever asked for is an opportunity. He’s wanted to make his own name and carve his own path to get to where he is. We would’ve loved to have gotten drafted, but he’s got his foot in the door. Now he has to continue to do all the right things and show people he can play.”
Terrell was in attendance as his son participated in the 49ers’ local pro day earlier this month, and Owens told the team’s website that he wanted to play basketball growing up — and “wasn’t a big fan of football” because of the sport’s contact.
“It was something about the gait,” 49ers general manager John Lynch, who played against Terrell, said after the local pro day, according to ProFootballTalk. “And it’s crazy how those things translate.”
He described himself as a “late bloomer,” and at the time, Owens even acknowledged that he might need to land his first chance as an undrafted free agent.
Last season, his third at Missouri State, he collected 528 receiving yards and two touchdowns across 10 games — including a season-best 140 yards and two touchdowns against Utah Tech on Sept. 23.
He compiled 765 and those four touchdowns across his three seasons with the Bears.
“Like I told him, he doesn’t have to be me; just be himself,” Terrell told CBS Sports. “He’s just as good as any of these other kids who got drafted; the only thing is some of them have played more football than he has. … “He has tremendous upside and knowledge he still can gain.”
The elder Owens played his first eight seasons for the 49ers and split his final seven seasons with the Eagles, Cowboys, Bills and Bengals.
This year, Owens was one of five players connected to other NFL stars attempting to join the league, alongside No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr., Frank Gore Jr., Brendan Rice and Luke McCaffrey.
Gore, the son of the legendary running back, inked a deal with the Bills as an undrafted free agent.
Rice, also a receiver like his father, Jerry, was drafted by the Chargers in the seventh round after a collegiate career at USC.
And McCaffrey, a Rice wideout and brother of star running back Christian McCaffrey, joined the Commanders as a third-round pick.
His father, Ed, was also a longtime receiver and Pro Bowler in 1998.