Richard Owens
Encyclopedia
Richard Owens is a former professional football
player. He played tight end
for the Minnesota Vikings
, who acquired him as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football
at Louisville
.
Owens has also been a member of the St. Louis Rams
and New York Jets
.
, he was a First-team All-Area tight end and 2nd-team All-Area. Owens caught 19 passes for 242 yards and recorded 46 tackles and 4 sacks as a senior, as well as averaging 14 yards per catch, had 51 tackles, 3 sacks, and 4 blocked kicks as a junior. He was selected to athletic director's honor roll in his final 2 years. In 2006, Owens high school number was retired before a Middleburg High School football game.
, Owens played under former Vikings Offensive Coordinator Scott Linehan
. In 1999, he was redshirted
as a freshman. The following year, he played in all 12 games with 3 starts. He was selected to Conference USA All-Freshman Team. Although he had just one catch, it went for a 10-yard TD in a shutout win over Grambling
He also served as the team's backup longsnapper. In 2001, he played in thirteen games, and had three catches on the season, two of which went for TDs, including a 9-yard TD pass against Southern Miss and a 22-yarder against TCU
. In 2002, He appeared in all thirteen games with starts in six of the last seven games. He was ranked 6th on the team with a career-high 20 catches for 182 yards and two TDs. He caught a career-high six balls for 72 yards and a score against TCU in his first start of the season, and had five catches for 39 yards against Marshall University
in the GMAC Bowl
. In his senior year, he played in all thirteen games with four starts and finished 7th on the team with twelve catches for 121 yards and three TDs. Against Temple
, he caught two passes for twelve yards and a TD. He also had two receptions for 23 yards and a TD at South Florida
as well as grabbing two catches for 22 yards vs. Tulane. He also recorded a 7-yard TD reception at Cincinnati. Owens finished his career with 36 catches for 371 yards and eight touchdowns, while also serving as the Cardinals' longsnapper.
(* represents NFL Combine
; **represents Louisville Pro Day)
Cullen Loeffler
as the only rookie free agents to make the opening-day roster in 2004 and was one of eight Vikings rookies to start a 2004 regular-season game. He joined LS Cullen Loeffler as game vs. Chicago
, opening at halfback and catching two passes for 16 yards. At Houston
, he started his second consecutive game, catching three passes for 17 yards in the 36-28 overtime win. In week two of the 2006 season, Owens caught a 16-yard touchdown pass, his first career touchdown, on a fake field goal attempt, thrown by Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell
. On his way to the endzone, Owens dodged an attempted tackle by Carolina Panthers
defensive end Julius Peppers
. The Vikings won the game 16-13 in overtime.
on July 14, 2009. He was waived on August 3, 2009.
during 2004 season and has earned numerous state and national awards for his work with Toys for Tots
, Habitat for Humanity, and FHA
/HERO
.
Now hired under Bobby Petrino as a tight end coach at the University of Arkansas.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, who acquired him as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Louisville
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
.
Owens has also been a member of the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
and New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
As a defensive lineman at Middleburg High SchoolMiddleburg High School
Middleburg High School is a high school located in Middleburg, Florida. The athletic teams are known as the Broncos. During the 2010-2011 year there were 1,783 students. MHS lost almost 300 students following the 2009-2010 school year due to the new Oakleaf High School built...
, he was a First-team All-Area tight end and 2nd-team All-Area. Owens caught 19 passes for 242 yards and recorded 46 tackles and 4 sacks as a senior, as well as averaging 14 yards per catch, had 51 tackles, 3 sacks, and 4 blocked kicks as a junior. He was selected to athletic director's honor roll in his final 2 years. In 2006, Owens high school number was retired before a Middleburg High School football game.
College career
While majoring in sports administration at the University of LouisvilleUniversity of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
, Owens played under former Vikings Offensive Coordinator Scott Linehan
Scott Linehan
Scott Thomas Linehan is an American football coach, currently the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions of the NFL. He was previously the head coach of the St...
. In 1999, he was redshirted
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
as a freshman. The following year, he played in all 12 games with 3 starts. He was selected to Conference USA All-Freshman Team. Although he had just one catch, it went for a 10-yard TD in a shutout win over Grambling
Grambling State University
Grambling State University is a historically black , public, coeducational university, located in Grambling, Louisiana. The university is the home of legendary football coach Eddie Robinson and is on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.-Academics:Grambling State University provides over...
He also served as the team's backup longsnapper. In 2001, he played in thirteen games, and had three catches on the season, two of which went for TDs, including a 9-yard TD pass against Southern Miss and a 22-yarder against TCU
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
. In 2002, He appeared in all thirteen games with starts in six of the last seven games. He was ranked 6th on the team with a career-high 20 catches for 182 yards and two TDs. He caught a career-high six balls for 72 yards and a score against TCU in his first start of the season, and had five catches for 39 yards against Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
in the GMAC Bowl
GMAC Bowl
The GoDaddy.com Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game that has been played annually at Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama since 1999. It currently matches teams from the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference, and...
. In his senior year, he played in all thirteen games with four starts and finished 7th on the team with twelve catches for 121 yards and three TDs. Against Temple
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, he caught two passes for twelve yards and a TD. He also had two receptions for 23 yards and a TD at South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
as well as grabbing two catches for 22 yards vs. Tulane. He also recorded a 7-yard TD reception at Cincinnati. Owens finished his career with 36 catches for 371 yards and eight touchdowns, while also serving as the Cardinals' longsnapper.
| Pre-draft measureables | ||||||||||
| Ht | Wt | 40-yard dash 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
10-yd split | 20-yd split | 20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-4⅛ * | 271 lb * | 4.83 ** | X | X | 4.26 ** | 7.68 ** | 30 in * | 9'10" ** | 11 ** | X |
NFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
; **represents Louisville Pro Day)
Minnesota Vikings
In his three year career, he has accumulated 16 catches for 123 yards and one touchdown. In 2004, Owens started wo of the eight games he played in. He caught eight passes for 69 yards and made 3 special teams tackles. He joined defensive tackle Spencer Johnson and long snapperLong snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
Cullen Loeffler
Cullen Loeffler
Cullen Crawford Loeffler is an American football long snapper for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns.-Early years:Loeffler attended Ingram Tom Moore High School...
as the only rookie free agents to make the opening-day roster in 2004 and was one of eight Vikings rookies to start a 2004 regular-season game. He joined LS Cullen Loeffler as game vs. Chicago
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, opening at halfback and catching two passes for 16 yards. At Houston
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, he started his second consecutive game, catching three passes for 17 yards in the 36-28 overtime win. In week two of the 2006 season, Owens caught a 16-yard touchdown pass, his first career touchdown, on a fake field goal attempt, thrown by Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell
Ryan Longwell
Ryan Walker Longwell is an American football placekicker for the Minnesota Vikings in the National Football League. After playing college football for the California Golden Bears, he started his professional football career with the San Francisco 49ers, but never played a game for the franchise...
. On his way to the endzone, Owens dodged an attempted tackle by Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
defensive end Julius Peppers
Julius Peppers
Julius Frazier Peppers is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Nicknamed The Freak of Nature, he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
. The Vikings won the game 16-13 in overtime.
New York Jets
Owens signed with the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on July 14, 2009. He was waived on August 3, 2009.
Personal
He is married to his high school girlfriend, Tina. Owens volunteered with the Salvation ArmySalvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
during 2004 season and has earned numerous state and national awards for his work with Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which donates toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major William L...
, Habitat for Humanity, and FHA
FHA
FHA may mean:* Federal Housing Administration. See also FHA loan.* Federal Highway Administration* Civil Rights Act of 1968 -- In particular, Title VIII of the Act, also known as the Fair Housing Act* Forced Hot Air heating...
/HERO
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
.
Now hired under Bobby Petrino as a tight end coach at the University of Arkansas.