Is it really preseason without Terrell Owens hinting at a comeback? T.O. last suited up in an NFL game on December 19, 2010, but the résumé speaks for itself—five-time All-Pro, 1,078 receptions, and that unforgettable 2000 NFC Championship Game performance where he fought through injury and still delivered in one of the league’s most iconic playoff moments.

Owens’ time with the Dallas Cowboys ended with a 0–2 playoff record across three seasons. But at 51 years old, he still insists he can contribute.

“People will obviously criticize me for saying that, you know, that I can still play. I know that I can still play. AP, could I play 60, 70 snaps? Probably not. But you put me in a situation of football. You’re a player. You’ve been a coach. You know what it’s like to have a veteran player, third down situation and red zone.” Owens said.

He’s also had a message for Jones before. In 2024, Owens questioned whether Jerry Jones truly cared about winning, as an owner, suggesting the business of the franchise outweighed the football product.

And here’s the kicker: Dallas just fell to 1-2 after a 31-14 loss in Chicago, and their red zone struggles remain glaring.

Last season, they converted only 46% of trips inside the 20 into touchdowns—the second-worst rate in the NFL, ahead of only the New York Giants. That inefficiency bled into losses and cost them games they should have closed out.

“You’re trying to tell me, AP, that I can’t play third downs, like 20 to 25 snaps a game, third down and red zone. I’ll be a threat. I’ll be a terror in the red zone. No doubt,” he further added.

Back in 2015, Terrell Owens was open for a ‘Run it Back’ season in Dallas. A year later, he told the Philadelphia Eagles he was “available” if needed. His final professional snaps came in 2012, when he briefly joined a minor-league arena team before being cut.

In 2021, he told TMZ Sports he was still running 40-yard dash times that mirrored incoming rookies.

Owens’ comments land at a time when Dak Prescott’s situation only complicates matters further. When healthy, Prescott has been one of the league’s most efficient red-zone quarterbacks.

He led the league in 2022 and finishing 12th in 2023. But he’s missed at least five games in three of the past five seasons. At 32, and as the league’s highest-paid player, Dallas can’t risk exposing him unnecessarily in goal-line situations.

So, one must think the bigger picture that Terrell Owens is bringing out in the open. Who’s stepping up when it matters most? Especially now, with CeeDee Lamb out, the Cowboys are without their most dependable target and highest-paid wideout heading into a Week 4 showdown with the Green Bay Packers.

CeeDee lamb’s injury puts the Cowboys in a tough spot

The Cowboys’ nightmare in Chicago got even worse when star wideout CeeDee Lamb went down early. Lined up in the backfield during the first quarter, the 26-year-old tried to bounce a carry outside but had his ankle rolled up on by Bears linebacker Noah Sewell. Lamb briefly returned for a single snap in the second quarter before they ruled him out of the game.

Postgame, Lamb sounded optimistic about his availability for Week 4 against the Packers, telling DallasCowboys.com, “Absolutely.” But that tone shifted later when, on Monday, team executive Stephen Jones revealed on 105.3 The Fan that Lamb is dealing with a high ankle sprain.

“We’ve got to evaluate the full thing, see how he’s moving around as the day goes,” Jones explained. “Certainly, he’s got a high-ankle sprain, and every one of those are different. We’d love to have him back for Green Bay, but we also have to understand the injury is what it is.”

Optimism aside, high ankle sprains are notoriously slow to heal. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the injury usually sidelines players for at least a month. If that timeline holds, Lamb will miss Dallas’ upcoming matchups with the Packers, Jets, Panthers, and Commanders.

Through three weeks, Lamb leads the team with 222 receiving yards but has yet to score a touchdown. For a Cowboys offense already battling red-zone struggles, losing him for multiple weeks could be a big blow.