NEW YORK - Terrell Owens will mark October 8 on
his calendar. So will the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Dallas Cowboys, who signed Owens to a three-year, $25
million contract on March 18, will visit the Eagles in Week Five
of the 2006 season.
The NFL on Thursday announced its 17-week, 256-game
regular-season schedule, which kicks off on Thursday, September
7 on NBC with the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh
Steelers hosting the Miami Dolphins.
But the Thursday opener as well as all of the Week One games and
the Thanksgiving Day contests had previously been announced.
The drama on Thursday centered on when Owens would return to
Philadelphia, where he was a hero in 2004 and a villain in 2005.
The first meeting between the NFC East rivals will be on Sunday,
October 8 on Fox.
Owens played just seven games with the Eagles last season before
the club deactivated him for conduct detrimental to the team.
Owens had publicly criticized numerous members of the
organization, including quarterback Donovan McNabb, and sought
to renegotiate a contract in the second year of a seven-year
deal.
Despite missing more than half the year, Owens managed 47
catches for 763 yards and six touchdowns.
Undeniably one of the finest talents in the game, Owens has
caused controversy on numerous occasions in his 10-year career,
the primary reason he will be joining his third team in four
seasons.
Notable in his odd actions came against Dallas in 2002, when,
after scoring a touchdown for the San Francisco 49ers, he
sprinted to midfield and celebrated in the middle of the star at
Texas Stadium.
He also has had many signature moments of a positive nature,
especially in Super Bowl XXXIX when he returned from a broken
leg that robbed him of the final two regular season games and
two playoff contests to make nine catches for 122 yards in the
Eagles' 21-17 loss to New England.
A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens will face the Eagles for
the second time on Monday, December 25 on NBC.
It was also announced on Thursday that the New Orleans Saints
will play their first game at the Superdome on Monday, September
25 against the Atlanta Falcons on ESPN.
The Saints were displaced last season after Hurricane Katrina
ravaged New Orleans in late August, causing damage to the roof
of the Superdome. They struggled to a 3-13 campaign while
splitting their home games between San Antonio and Baton Rouge.
The Saints also played a "home game" against the New York
Giants at Giants Stadium.
"We are pleased that this historic re-opening will occur on a
Monday night," NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said.
Since 2004, the NFL has featured the defending Super Bowl
champion in the first game of the season. The Steelers beat the
Seattle Seahawks to win Super Bowl XL in February.
That Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars will host the Cowboys on
Fox and the Indianapolis Colts will visit the Giants on NBC.
The latter matchup will feature 30-year-old Colts quarterback
Peyton Manning taking on his younger brother, 25-year-old Giants
quarterback Eli. It will be the first time in NFL history that
brothers will start at quarterback against each other.
ESPN will televise the first "Monday Night Football"
doubleheader a day later, with the Washington Redskins hosting
the Minnesota Vikings and the San Diego Chargers visiting the
Oakland Raiders.
ESPN is taking over "Monday Night Football" from ABC, which
aired the show for 36 seasons.
"Monday Night Football has been a special night for 36 years and
that tradition will continue with the best NFL schedule ESPN
has ever had," said John Skipper, executive vice president,
content, ESPN.
All 12 playoff teams from the 2005 season will appear on "Monday
Night Football."
The first Thanksgiving tripleheader has Miami visiting the
Detroit Lions on CBS, followed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at
Dallas on Fox and the Denver Broncos at the Kansas City Chiefs
on the NFL Network.
The playoffs begin with Wild Card weekend on January 6-7. Super
Bowl XLI will be played Sunday, February 4 in South Florida.
ESPN is the parent company of SportsTicker.