From small-school recruit to the NFL Hall of Fame, motivational sports speaker Terrell Owens worked his way to the top. As a popular motivational speaker, Terrell Owens inspires thousands each year to follow their dreams with conviction and purpose.

Motivational speaker Terrell Owens: Humble Beginnings, Record-Setting Stardom

In 1996, few outside the Southern Conference thought of Terrell Owens as a future gridiron great. A record-setting wide receiver for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Owens was a big player on a small stage. The San Francisco 49ers took a chance on Owens in the third round of the 1996 NFL draft. After that, the rest is history.

Combining a huge frame with electrifying speed, Owens started 10 games as a rookie. In eight years with San Francisco, Owens established himself as one of the league’s elite receivers. In 2000, he broke the single-game reception record, a mark that had stood for half a century. However, Owens often saved his best for the playoffs, leading the 49ers to comeback victories in 1998 and 2002.

Upon joining the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004, Owens led his new team to 13 wins in its first 14 games. That year he averaged a blistering touchdown per game, and consequently Philadelphia made its way to the Super Bowl. A broken leg suffered just weeks before the championship game kept Owens on the sidelines until, remarkably, he returned. Despite a leg that had not fully healed, Owens posted nine receptions and 122 yards, nearly leading his team to an upset of the defending champion New England Patriots.

By the end of his 15-year playing career, Owens had been named to six Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams. At the time of his retirement, he had scored the second-most touchdowns in NFL history.

Away from the Gridiron

Additionally, Owens is an advocate for Alzheimer’s patients and their families, an entrepreneur, and a bestselling author. Recently, he launched the What TO Do Global Campaign as a way of empowering youth around the world.