SAN FRANCISCO – Former San Francisco receivers coach George Stewart wants to set the record straight on Terrell Owens' celebratory dance on the midfield star at Texas Stadium in 2000.
Team chaplain Earl Smith might have played a role. The day before the game, the 49ers had just completed a walk-through practice at Texas Stadium when Mr. Smith, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Owens and receiver J.J. Stokes were standing near midfield chatting.
"The chaplain began talking about Roger Staubach and how the Cowboys were God's Team and America's Team," Mr. Stewart said. "Then he asked Terrell if he knew why there was a hole in the roof. He didn't, so the chaplain told him that it was so God could look down on the Cowboys.
"He said, 'If you score, go to the star and let God see you. Look up to the sky and praise God.'
"If you'll look at a replay, you'll see that he runs to the star, looks right up, praises God and then leaves the field."
Mr. Stokes said the chaplain's story had him considering running to the star, too, had he scored.
FILE PHOTO
Terrell Owens looks to the sky as he celebrates a touchdown against the Cowboys while standing on the star at midfield.
"We were thinking about how cool it would be if the hole were over the end zone after the chaplain talked about how God would be looking in the stadium," Mr. Stokes said.
As soon as Mr. Owens caught a touchdown pass that gave the 49ers a 14-3 lead, he sprinted to the star, looked toward the heavens and thrust out his arms.
"I've never seen T.O. ever try to humiliate an opponent," said Dr. Harry Edwards, a sociologist and longtime consultant with the 49ers. "The Sharpie, the pompoms. He's always trying to have fun."
Later in the game, the Cowboys' Emmitt Smith scored a touchdown, sprinted to midfield, slammed the ball on the turf and glared at the 49ers' sideline. In the fourth quarter, Mr. Owens scored again and headed for the midfield star. Cowboys safety George Teague knocked Mr. Owens down as he stepped on it.
The next day, the 49ers suspended Mr. Owens for a week. That essentially ended his relationship with coach Steve Mariucci because he thought the coach should have supported him.
E-mail jjtaylor@dallasnews.com
