8) Owens can cheer, but can he play?
# 81 Terrell Owens
Position: WR
Height: 6-3
Weight: 226
Born: 12/07/1973
College: Tennessee-Chattanooga
NFL Experience: 9
PHILADELPHIA (Jan. 24, 2005) -- Terrell Owens didn't need pompoms to lead cheers.
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The Philadelphia Eagles ' All-Pro wide receiver, out with a severe ankle injury, was back on the sideline, flapping his arms, waving a towel and encouraging the crowd to make more noise.
The big question over the next two weeks will be if Owens will play against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl in two weeks. The Eagles advanced with a 27-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game.
"I have a feeling he will," Eagles head coach Andy Reid initially said when asked if Owens will return for Philadelphia's first Super Bowl appearance in 24 years.
But Reid later said he got caught up in the excitement of the celebration and wasn't sure about Owens' status.
"He was standing right there, so I had to make him feel good," Reid said. "We'll see how he does this next week, if he can put more pressure on it."
Owens, who once grabbed pompoms from a cheerleader and danced in the end zone after scoring a touchdown in San Francisco, looked healthy enough to play against the Falcons. He jogged onto the field and pumped up the crowd during pregame introductions, and jumped around on the bench during the game.
But making cuts and taking hits is another story.
Owens tore two ankle ligaments and broke his right leg in a game against Dallas on Dec. 19. A surgeon inserted two screws in Owens' ankle and a plate on the outside of the ankle three days later.
Owens was told after surgery that he had only an outside chance of returning for the Super Bowl, but has rehabbed vigorously and has told teammates he's going to play.
"He said he's going to be back, so that's the only thing that we can go by," quarterback Donovan McNabb said. "I'm not a doctor, so I can't tell you what's going on with that."
Owens led the Eagles with 77 catches for 1,200 yards and 14 TDs.