Hamstring may delay Owens' Dallas debut
NFL.com wire reports
OXNARD, Calif. (Aug. 7, 2006) -- Terrell Owens said his nagging hamstring injury likely will keep him out of the Dallas Cowboys' preseason opener Aug. 12 in Seattle.
Although an MRI taken Aug. 5 showed no damage, Owens isn't taking any chances. He's having his healing-inducing hyperbaric chamber shipped to his training camp hotel room. Two trainers and a doctor from Atlanta are on their way, too.
"It's just a little sore," Owens said. "It's different. I've never really had it before so I don't know. I'm not worried about it; there's just no point right now. If I tried to really open it up, I may hurt it more, so we'll just see. It'll be OK."
Owens sat out a fifth straight practice Aug. 7 because of soreness that set in Aug. 2. After the team left the field, he spent about 45 minutes catching balls from a machine, starting far away and taking a step closer after every one. He did the same drill on his knees, too.
On his way to the locker room, he was asked if he would play against the Seahawks and said, "I doubt it." He said he probably wouldn't practice the rest of this week, either.
T.O.'s status report on himself had to be news to coach Bill Parcells, who said "I don't know" in response to most questions about Owens' health during his daily news briefing.
"I know everything I need to know," he said. "Well, there's nothing more to know. Maybe not knowing exactly is all I'm capable of knowing at this point."
Owens talked to reporters on the field at the same time Parcells was holding his gathering on a nearby tennis court. When Owens finished, fans who'd waited him out began cheering, prompting Parcells to pause and look to see what all the commotion was about so long after the team's workout ended. Once they broke into shouts of "T-O! T-O!" Parcells finished the response he was giving.
Parcells said all his information about his new star receiver's health has come through the trainer.
"I haven't spoken with Terrell about it," Parcells said. "At some point, I will if I have to."
Parcells said that's how he always deals with injuries, even with players he's known for a long time.
Parcells said he didn't know when to expect Owens back. Asked if he had a deadline for T.O. to return to practice in order to use him against Seattle, Parcells said, "I haven't really thought about that, matter of fact, so I don't know."
The Cowboys tolerated Owens missing two practices Aug. 3 and another Aug. 4, then sent him for an MRI on Aug. 5. Players had Aug. 6 off, so Aug. 7 was his first chance to get back on the field.
Instead, he was back on a stationary bicycle. Fellow starting receiver Terry Glenn joined him, although it was only because of blisters on both feet. Parcells said he expects Glenn to return Aug. 8.
The Cowboys already were concerned about their depth at receiver, with question marks after third-stringer Patrick Crayton. They gave Freddie Mitchell -- Owens' friend and a former Philadelphia teammate -- a workout Aug. 6.
Dallas also made a roster move, dropping fourth-string quarterback Jeff Mroz and replacing him with Matt Baker, a rookie from North Carolina who was released last week by Houston. Undrafted rookie linebacker Kai Parham also was released.
http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/DAL/9590109
NFL.com wire reports
OXNARD, Calif. (Aug. 7, 2006) -- Terrell Owens said his nagging hamstring injury likely will keep him out of the Dallas Cowboys' preseason opener Aug. 12 in Seattle.
Although an MRI taken Aug. 5 showed no damage, Owens isn't taking any chances. He's having his healing-inducing hyperbaric chamber shipped to his training camp hotel room. Two trainers and a doctor from Atlanta are on their way, too.
"It's just a little sore," Owens said. "It's different. I've never really had it before so I don't know. I'm not worried about it; there's just no point right now. If I tried to really open it up, I may hurt it more, so we'll just see. It'll be OK."
Owens sat out a fifth straight practice Aug. 7 because of soreness that set in Aug. 2. After the team left the field, he spent about 45 minutes catching balls from a machine, starting far away and taking a step closer after every one. He did the same drill on his knees, too.
On his way to the locker room, he was asked if he would play against the Seahawks and said, "I doubt it." He said he probably wouldn't practice the rest of this week, either.
T.O.'s status report on himself had to be news to coach Bill Parcells, who said "I don't know" in response to most questions about Owens' health during his daily news briefing.
"I know everything I need to know," he said. "Well, there's nothing more to know. Maybe not knowing exactly is all I'm capable of knowing at this point."
Owens talked to reporters on the field at the same time Parcells was holding his gathering on a nearby tennis court. When Owens finished, fans who'd waited him out began cheering, prompting Parcells to pause and look to see what all the commotion was about so long after the team's workout ended. Once they broke into shouts of "T-O! T-O!" Parcells finished the response he was giving.
Parcells said all his information about his new star receiver's health has come through the trainer.
"I haven't spoken with Terrell about it," Parcells said. "At some point, I will if I have to."
Parcells said that's how he always deals with injuries, even with players he's known for a long time.
Parcells said he didn't know when to expect Owens back. Asked if he had a deadline for T.O. to return to practice in order to use him against Seattle, Parcells said, "I haven't really thought about that, matter of fact, so I don't know."
The Cowboys tolerated Owens missing two practices Aug. 3 and another Aug. 4, then sent him for an MRI on Aug. 5. Players had Aug. 6 off, so Aug. 7 was his first chance to get back on the field.
Instead, he was back on a stationary bicycle. Fellow starting receiver Terry Glenn joined him, although it was only because of blisters on both feet. Parcells said he expects Glenn to return Aug. 8.
The Cowboys already were concerned about their depth at receiver, with question marks after third-stringer Patrick Crayton. They gave Freddie Mitchell -- Owens' friend and a former Philadelphia teammate -- a workout Aug. 6.
Dallas also made a roster move, dropping fourth-string quarterback Jeff Mroz and replacing him with Matt Baker, a rookie from North Carolina who was released last week by Houston. Undrafted rookie linebacker Kai Parham also was released.
http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/DAL/9590109
