Owens Ignores Torn Finger Tendon
December 18, 2006
ATLANTA - Last time the Falcons played here at the Georgia Dome, Michael Vick gave his booing fans the finger.
Saturday in the same Georgia Dome, Terrell Owens once again gave the Cowboys his finger.
Literally.
Owens and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed after the Cowboys' 38-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons that the team's lightning rod receiver has been playing with a torn tendon on the inside of his right ring finger that is in need of surgery.
But even though Owens is jeopardizing the finger's flexibility for the rest of his life, he has made the conscious decision to forego what would be season-ending hand surgery.
"The thing I want you all to know, he decided not to have his surgery," Jones said. "There is no question he wanted to do this for his team."
Owens tore the tendon at the tip of that right ring finger at the first joint about a month ago, he said. Not only is he unable to bend that portion of his finger, but he also has lost the power to grip anything with that finger.
Catching a ball would seem to be a tad painful.
"I'm not making any excuse, I've had some dropped balls," Owens said. "It is what it is. I'm doing this for the team.
"It will bother me for the rest of the year. I'll deal with it after the season."
That's the problem. Had Owens had surgery immediately after tearing the tiny tendon, he in all likelihood would have regained normal functionality in the finger. But since he decided to wait, chances are surgery after the season will not restore total flexibility.
Owens said he will see a hand specialist once the season is over, and the Cowboys' medical staff say off-season surgery will allow him to possibly regain the strength in the finger so he can grip with it again, but that he likely will no longer be able to bend the tip of his finger again.
Despite this physical inconvenience, Owens caught five passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns in the victory that assured the Cowboys of back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1995-96. This gives him a season total of 77 catches for 1,067 and 11 receiving touchdowns.
The 11 touchdown receptions are the most since Lance Rentzel had 12 in 1969. And since that year, three Cowboys have totaled 10 touchdown receptions in a single season, last by Michael Irvin in 1995. With two games to go, Owens now is three touchdown catches shy of tying the Cowboys' franchise record for most in a single season, the 14 set by Frank Clarke in 1962.
Other than Clark and Rentzel, the late Bob Hayes is the only other Cowboys player to total more than 11 touchdown receptions in a single season, grabbing 13 in 1966, and 12 in 1965.
SOURCE: http://www.dallascowboys.com