Marcellus Wiley, the man who was the defensive end for several teams in the 90s and the 2000s, including the Cowboys in 2004, is about to undergo an important procedure. Dressed in a hospital gown, he posted pictures with saline drips attached to the back of his hand.

“Please keep me in your prayers as I head into my total hip replacement surgery — aiming for a healthy, smooth, and successful outcome. No, I’m not trying to pull a Philip Rivers comeback — but if I can get back to being “Big Usher” on the dance floor, I’ll take that as a major win,” he captioned his post.

And former NFL player Terrell Owens was one of the many who prayed for Wiley. “Successful surgery and speedy recovery,” Owens’ comment read.

At 275 pounds during his playing days, NFL defensive end Marcellus Wiley was drafted in 1997 by the Buffalo Bills, where he played from 1997 to 2000. He later played for the San Diego Chargers from 2001 to 2003, the Dallas Cowboys in 2004, and the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2005 and 2006.

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His top achievement was making the Pro Bowl in 2001 with the Chargers, when he recorded 13 sacks.

Throughout his NFL career, Wiley finished with 44.0 sacks and 322 total tackles. Before the NFL, he played college football at Columbia University, where he was a standout player.

Later on, Wiley retired after playing the 2006 season in the NFL. After football, he moved into sports media. He worked as an analyst for ESPN and later for Fox Sports.

When Marcellus Wiley was on Terrell Owens’ show

Back in 2020, Wiley was featured on Owens’ Getcha Popcorn Ready EP. It goes without saying that he enjoyed discussing college football, their own experience playing in college, their drafts, and ultimately, their NFL careers. But their connection doesn’t end there.

Marcellus Wiley once converted his basketball court to a pickleball court and kept asking Owens to join him. For Owens, though, who never indulged in the activity, it was intimidating. Regardless, he went to the court, played a couple of times, and saw himself improve.

So, they aren’t best friends, but their friendship has been evolving.

While Wiley will be busy looking after his health and post-surgery recovery, Owens is keen on his son, Terique Owens, playing in the NFL.

Terique Owens got his first real NFL opportunity when he signed with the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 NFL Draft. Owens took a longer road to the league, playing college football at Contra Costa College, Florida Atlantic, and Missouri State before earning interest from NFL teams.

He showed flashes during the 2025 preseason, highlighted by a 22-yard touchdown catch, his first score at the professional level. The play drew attention, but it didn’t change his standing heading into roster decisions.

Owens was on a standard one-year undrafted free-agent contract worth about $840,000, the typical deal given to players in his position entering camp. When final cuts were made before the regular season, the 49ers waived him, and he did not make the 53-man roster.