DALLAS -- Terrell Owens has been stirring things up for
years, from edgy touchdown celebrations to mean-spirited comments
about his quarterbacks and cries of being underpaid. Yet the drama
was always about football, never matters of life or death.
"It's very
unfortunate for the reports to go from an allergic reaction to a
definite suicide attempt."
-- Terrell Owens
Then came news late Tuesday that Owens was taken in an ambulance
to an emergency room. Details from the police report that came out
Wednesday morning included words like suicide, overdose and
depression.
Within hours, T.O. insisted it was all a misunderstanding -- then
brought the story back to football.
He checked out of the hospital and made his way to
Dallas Cowboys headquarters in time to catch some passes Wednesday
afternoon, then showed up to a packed news conference wearing
workout gear and his usual wide smile.
Owens returned to practice Thursday for the first time since
breaking his right hand a week ago Sunday against Washington. He
had surgery the day after the injury. If all goes well, he thinks
he can play for the Cowboys on Sunday in Tennessee.
Owens seemed more amused than peeved. He apologized for being a
distraction, thanked his friends for worrying about him and said he
felt so good that he expects to play Sunday in Tennessee --
regardless of the broken hand that led to the pain pills which, in
turn, led to this latest saga.
"It was just an allergic reaction," Owens said. "It's very
unfortunate for the reports to go from an allergic reaction to a
definite suicide attempt."
Owens was hospitalized Tuesday night for what his publicist, Kim
Etheredge, called an allergic reaction to medicine he was taking
for his broken hand. Then, the story erupted around 8 a.m.
Wednesday, when WFAA-TV in Dallas reported details of the police
report it obtained.
The document stated that a friend, later identified as
Etheredge, called 911 about a suicide attempt; that she told
paramedics Owens was depressed; that his bottle of painkillers was
empty; and that Owens said he was trying to harm himself.
After that, specifics were hard to come by.
At a police news conference, a spokesman would only confirm they
were called and that whatever happened was "not a criminal
offense." He released the internal narrative that started all of
the back-and-forth, but the juiciest parts were blacked out.
A fire department official provided even fewer details. However,
the department still holds what could be the next domino to fall in
this story: the tape of the 911 call from Owens' publicist after
she saw him becoming incoherent a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday
night.
The Associated Press filed a request under the Texas Public
Information Act to get a recording of the call. Fire department
spokesman Joel Lavender said it would not be available before late
Wednesday, perhaps not until Friday.
It is not a crime in Texas to attempt suicide.
Owens was seen leaving the hospital before noon, flashing a
thumb's up sign to reporters. But with no other information
released and Owens not yet having told his side of the story,
Cowboys coach Bill Parcells was peppered with Owens-related
questions at his daily news briefing. He ended up walking out nine
minutes into what is normally a 25-30 minute session.
"When I find out what the hell is going on, you will know," he
said. "Until then, I'm not getting interrogated for no reason."
Next up was Owens, who said he's "not depressed by any means."
"I am very happy to be here," said Owens, who received a $25
million, three-year deal from the Cowboys in March, four days after
the Eagles released him.
The report said rescue workers were called because Owens
attempted "suicide by prescription pain medication." There was
mention of 35 pills that weren't accounted for.
"The rumor of me taking 35 pills, I think is absurd," Owens
said. "I don't think I would be here if I had taken 35 pills."
He explained that the bottle of hydrocodone, a generic form of
Vicodin, was indeed empty, but the extra pills were in a drawer. He
had taken two or three, along with some all-natural supplements,
and he believes the combination made him groggy.
Etheredge saw how he was acting, noticed the empty bottle and
called for help.
"This is a very strong human being," Etheredge said. "When I
ask him a question and he is not responding and I know he is not
feeling well, I used my judgment to call 911."
The police report, which WFAA shared with the AP, said Etheredge
saw Owens pop two more pills, then "attempted to put her fingers
in (Owens') mouth to retrieve the pills."
"I did not take anything out of his mouth," said Etheredge,
equally adamant in denying that she told anyone Owens was
depressed.
David Kunkle, chief of police in Dallas, reaffirmed the report submitted by the responding officers.
"Officers report what people tell them," Kunkle told the Dallas Morning News. "They do whatever preliminary investigation they are able to do, which is sometimes not much. They document what they hear and file it in a report. I don't know how this was any different than that.
"Typically, patrol officers don't have a lot of time to wait around to see if the story changes. They're answering calls."
The report also lists Owens as saying, "Yes," when asked
whether he'd emptied the pill bottle and whether he was trying to
harm himself. He said he doesn't know what he told emergency
responders.
"I was kind of out of it," Owens said. "I can barely even
remember the doctors, more or less the police officers that were
asking me questions. I couldn't tell you if they were the EMTs or
the police or the doctors."
Etheredge also accused police of taking advantage of her friend
and client.
"I'm just upset," she said. "Had this been someone else, this
may not have happened."
Dallas police officials declined to comment on Etheredge's
denials, citing privacy laws.
Teammates and friends throughout the league rallied to support
Owens even before he spoke. Many, including Dallas quarterback
Drew Bledsoe, said they doubted that Owens would try to kill himself.
"Because of the reputation that T.O. has because of the
attention that has been around him in the past, anything that
happens turns into a bigger deal," Bledsoe said Wednesday. "I
understand that. We understand that as a team."
Former Cowboys star Deion Sanders was with Owens at his home
before he went to team headquarters.
"From my understanding, looking at him in the eye as a man and
as a big brother, I said 'Be straight up with me.' He seems to be
OK," Sanders told the NFL Network, where he works as an analyst.
"Terrell has 25 million reasons why he should be alive."
-- Kim Etheredge, Owens' publicist
Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes
for 99 yards and a touchdown. He broke the bone leading to his
right ring finger against Washington a week ago Sunday. The next
day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear
of further damage, leaving a 2-inch scar on top of his hand.
The Cowboys were still listing Owens as questionable on the
injury report because of the hand injury. If he doesn't play this
weekend, No. 81 will almost surely be in the starting lineup the
following Sunday in Philadelphia: He's been looking forward to that
game as a chance to seek revenge against the team that dumped him
midway through last season.
Owens has almost always been an attention magnet during his
11-year NFL career, from his touchdown celebrations to his public
treatment of quarterbacks -- even a risque promotional stunt with
one of ABC's "Desperate Housewives" before a Monday night game
against Dallas in 2004 that prompted an apology from the network.
Months after Owens was heavily praised for playing in the
February 2005 Super Bowl just weeks after ankle surgery, his
relationship with quarterback Donovan McNabb deteriorated and the
Eagles got rid of him amid contract complaints and other
personality squabbles.
The Cowboys were eager to welcome him to the fold. By way of
explaining why Owens would never attempt to kill himself, Etheredge
referred to his Cowboys paycheck.
"Terrell has 25 million reasons," she said, "why he should be
alive."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.