Owens pitches return to 49ers GM

Terrell Owens couldn't pass up an opportunity to offer his services to the team that drafted him more than two decades ago. The soon-to-be Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver responded to a congratulatory tweet from San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch with an offer. After Lynch applauded Owens' work with the Alzheimer's Association, the 44-year-old wideout took the opportunity to pass along the following over social media, per SFGate.com. "I know Jimmy G is gonna need a big play receiver this year at some point," Owens said. "Let's make it happen. #StayReady #VetMin." San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's top wide receivers are Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin. Owens has been open about his desire to play again, recently saying on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he'd like to play for a contending team. "Do I still have the ability to play? Absolutely," Owens said, per the Kansas City Star. "Do I have the ability to come in right now and play at the level in which I left the game, being that No. 1, play-every-down type of guy? Absolutely not. But I can work myself, you know, into shape to get to that point. "But I could obviously contribute to a team that's really on the cusp, that's a contender, that's one play or player away from making it to the Super Bowl, or winning the Super Bowl. I definitely feel like I still have that talent." Owens hasn't played since suiting up for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010, although he attempted a comeback in 2012 before being cut in training camp by the Seattle Seahawks. The six-time Pro Bowl selection helped the Philadelphia Eagles advance to the Super Bowl XXXIX after the 2004 season. Starting for the team only six weeks after he broke his leg, Owens caught nine passes for 122 yards and likely would have been the game's MVP, but the Eagles lost to the New England Patriots, 24-21. In one instance, Owens is indeed making a return to football -- as the cover boy of "Madden NFL 19." EA Sports revealed that he will grace the cover of the latest edition of the popular EA Sports football video game. Rather appropriately, Owens will be the headliner of the Madden NFL 19: Hall of Fame edition, which will be released on Aug. 7 -- three days after Owens and the 2018 class will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Owens resides second in career receiving yards (15,934), eighth in all-time receptions (1,078) and fifth in total touchdowns (156). He had a spectacular, three-year stretch (2000-02) in which he caught 290 passes for 4,163 yards and 42 touchdowns. Owens played 16 seasons with the 49ers, Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Bengals since being selected by San Francisco in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft.