source: yahoo.com
Owens wants to play for Eagles
By ROB MAADDI, AP Sports Writer
March 6, 2004
PHILADELPHIA ( AP) -- Even though he was traded to Baltimore, Terrell Owens still hopes to catch passes from Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia next season.
One day after the San Francisco 49ers sent the four-time Pro Bowl receiver to the Ravens, Owens said he´s not happy with the deal and plans to file a grievance.
``This is about me getting a fair shot at a team that I want to go to. Baltimore is definitely one of my choices, but Philly was my ´A´ choice, my priority on my list,´´ Owens said in an interview on ESPN late Friday night. ``I talked to my agent earlier and we´re going to file a grievance for the situation and we´re going to hope for the best possible situation.´´
Desperate for a No. 1 receiver, the Eagles reportedly agreed to a contract with Owens that included a signing bonus believed to be worth about $10 million. But the volatile receiver was traded to the Ravens for a second-round pick Thursday before Philadelphia could work out a trade with the 49ers.
San Francisco general manager Terry Donahue said Eagles coach Andy Reid offered a fifth-round pick and wide receiver James Thrash for Owens.
``We had no interest in that whatsoever,´´ Donahue said.
Donahue said he countered with a list of other players he´d want for Owens, but the teams couldn´t agree on a deal.
``I told Andy we were going to move really quick and that we had a second-round pick and that if he had any further interest to call me back,´´ Donahue said.
The Eagles wouldn´t comment Friday. Owens´ agent, David Joseph, didn´t return phone calls from The Associated Press.
Owens failed to become a free agent this week when he missed a deadline last month to void the final three seasons of his contract. Joseph already filed a grievance with the NFL Management Council through the players´ union in an effort to resolve that matter.
``We´re not idiots,´´ Owens said. ``This is something we´ve been waiting on. The 49ers have known that I was more than possibly going to void my contract. There´s been a lot of backstabbing going on the last couple of years.´´