HOUSTON -- Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci coached Terrell Owens for five years and strongly believes the wide receiver should be voted into this year's Pro Football Hall of Fame class in his second year of eligibility.
"Yes and yes," Mariucci told NJ Advance Media Wednesday when asked if he believes that Terrell Owens will get voted in and should get voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
It is widely believed that the selection committee held Owens out of the Hall of Fame last year as punishment for Owens' off-the-field distractions and the impact they had on his time with the San Francisco 49ers, Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills.
Statistically speaking, Betper Owens' candidacy speaks for itself.
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Owens trails only Hall of Famer Jerry Rice with 15,934 yards and is eighth all-time with 1,078 receptions.
Mariucci called for the committee to put Owens' off-the-field issues aside and put him in Canton this weekend.
"He's got the numbers and the career that says he should be in," Mariucci said. "I thought he might get in last year. Some voters didn't think that way, I guess. They seemed to want to make him wait. I think he's waited long enough. Let's go. He should be in."
Owens and former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins are among the 15 modern era candidates for this year's class which will be announced Saturday during the NFL Honors award show.
Three Eagles storylines at Super Bowl 51Matt Lombardo may be reached at MDLombardo@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardo975.
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