National Football League

Owens tweets he will play in IFL

Published Jan. 19, 2012 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Terrell Owens announced he is making his football comeback with a return to Texas, but fans will have to head inside to see the former Cowboys wide receiver.

Owens tweeted late Wednesday that he is joining the Allen Wranglers of the 16-team Indoor Football League, advising his online followers to "getcha popcorn ready."

"Uh oh, it's official. It just went down. I am headed back to Texas," he said in a video uploaded via his Twitter page. "That's right. IFL, here I come. ... Allen Texas, I'll see you in the end zone."

Owens, 38, will join as a player and a part-owner with the team's 14-game season set to start late next month.

His first competitive indoor outing was scheduled Feb. 25 against Wichita Wild at the Allen Event Center, which is based around 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of Cowboys Stadium.

Owens was in line to receive between $250,000 and $500,000 as part of his contract with the Wranglers, according to a statement on the team's website in November.

The cash-strapped former NFL star was set to have his accommodation and food bills covered while with the team, a luxury afforded to most of his colleagues, according to The Dallas Morning News. IFL players receive $225 per game and a $25 win bonus.

Owens held a televised workout in California in October, hoping to convince an NFL team to sign him after suffering an offseason knee injury.

But the exercise failed and it later emerged he missed a court date regarding child support payments because of the well-publicized session, only adding to his off-field problems.

Owens has played for five teams in 15 seasons. He amassed 983 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2010 season, moving into second on the all-time receiving yards list behind Jerry Rice at 15,934.