Terrell Owens surprised he doesn't have a job yet

Veteran wide receiver Terrell Owens remains without current NFL employment, a surprising development to the former Pro Bowl wide receiver.

After a lackluster season with the Buffalo Bills, Owens is still hoping to catch on with another NFL team.

During an interview tonight on NFL Network, Owens discussed his job prospects.

"Personally, I'm working out keeping myself in shape," Owens said. "I've been in contact with Drew [Rosenhaus], who's my agent and there are some teams out there that have created some interest. A few of those teams have asked to be anonymous. I know Seattle has come out and said they were interested.

"Other than that, we're just waiting for the right opportunity. I know last year we jumped on board with Buffalo. That's a team that was very interested in myself. I always wanted to be with a team that I was wanted and Buffalo jumped at the gun at that."

Owens said he's surprised that he doesn't have a job at this point and acknowledged that his past behavior is hurting his current outlook.

"Definitely," Owens said. "That I am, that I am. I'm not going to worry about it because I know God has a place for me, a plan for me. I know I can still play. I've heard a lot of the reasons why I'm not on a team right now is because people feel like I've disrupted some teams, I'm a cancer. I've heard all those things for the last five or six years.

"The teams I've been on if you ask within that locker room how I've been as a teammate and a person it's contradictory to what's being displayed out there."

Owens was asked what he would say to skeptical general managers.

"I'm not that guy," he said. "I think obviously with media outlets they have those anonymous sources. If you ask the personnel, the coaches, the players that were in the locker room with me, they'll tell you someone submitted an e-mail to me the other day about what Ryan Fitzpatrick had to say about me as a player, a teammate and a person. And he had nothing but complimentary things to say about me. That in itself you have to take that into account."

Owens disputed the notion that he's too expensive in his demands.

"No, I'm not pricing myself out of the market at all," he said. "Again, those are rumors. If I'm going to be brought in as a starter, I would like to be compensated as a starter. Myself and Drew know there are some factors with that situation. Would I be negotiable with those numbers? Of course, I would."

Owens said it wouldn't bother him to not be the No. 1 wide receiver on a team.

As for his job status, Owens said: "I think why I'm not on a team isn't because I can't play. It's based off character issues. That's where the situation lies, and I don't think it's fair. As far as me being able to produce and perform on a football field, I can do that. That's not a question."

Does he have regrets with his past behavior?

"I think with some of the situations that happened in the past, there's always two sides to a story," Owens said. "With those instances and situations that may be brought up, I can try to defend myself until the cows come home. Me trying to defend myself to the media is like me trying to shoot a ghost. I'm not going to win that battle.

"I've always been confident in who I am and what I stand for. There are some things I wish I could have done differently or said differently, but nothing that I regret. I'm not a criminal. I know the things I do on the football field speak for themselves."

Owens said he wasn't asked about any past issues when he met with the Cincinnati Bengals, including coach Marvin Lewis and owner Mike Brown.

"They were pleased," Owens said. "They signed Antonio Bryant. If character was such an issue, I don't think Cincinnati would have brought me in."

Owens said he could play with Donovan McNabb again.

"Donovan and I have squashed our issues," he said. "We've moved on about it. We'ved talked. I have his cell. He has mine. We've text messaged. I wished him congratulations when he was traded to the Redskins. We were on Pros vs. Joes together."

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