Terrell Owens says Darren Woodson should be in the Hall of Fame over John Lynch

Terrell Owens knows a thing or two about Hall of Fame controversies. The only player in NFL history to conduct his own induction ceremony for pro football’s highest honor, the longtime wide receiver is now shedding light on what he believes to be a glaring omission in Canton, arguing this week that former Cowboys great Darren Woodson should’ve been inducted before John Lynch.

The 49-year-old Owens was inducted to the HOF in 2018, two years after he became eligible, and refused to join his class for the traditional induction, believing bias against his colorful personality had delayed his award. Revisiting the situation on Fubo Sports’ “Getcha Popcorn Ready,” he hinted that Woodson would also be justified in taking umbrage with the HOF voters.

“I’m thinking about a guy like Darren Woodson,” he said, “(who’s) not in the Hall of Fame, but John Lynch is. How in the hell do you quantify [sic] that? … I want you to go research. Go research and see what Darren Woodson has done.

“Yeah, John Lynch did some great things here and there,” Owens continued. “But I’m not looking for John (when I’m on the field). I wasn’t. Just because a guy starts on the defense, and he’s the No. 1 guy back there, that doesn’t mean he’s impacting what he’s doing. I wasn’t scared of 47.”

Lynch, who played 15 seasons with the Buccaneers and Broncos, was inducted to the HOF in 2021, almost 13 years after he officially retired. Now the general manager of the 49ers, he made nine Pro Bowls and finished with 1,059 tackles and 26 interceptions. Woodson, meanwhile, played 13 seasons — all of them with the Cowboys — and went to five Pro Bowls while winning three Super Bowl titles, finishing with 967 tackles and 23 picks. This offseason, he was named a first-time finalist for the 2023 HOF class.