Terrell Owens didn't plan on being one of the greatest wide receivers of all time.
The Hall of Fame football star exclusively reflects on his legendary career as a professional athlete and what it means to be an "almost champion" ahead of his Super Bowl LVIII campaign partnership with M&M'S.
While Owens proved himself as one of the top names in his position, and the sport as a whole, the 50-year-old admits his major love for basketball is much stronger than football.
"I didn't grow up wanting to play in the National Football League," Owens explains to OK!. "I'm a basketball fan at heart. But it was my desire, my dedication and my discipline [that] enabled me to reach a lot of heights and achieve a lot of accolades that I didn't think that were achievable."
"I was always competitive. Growing up in Alabama, I played a number of sports — baseball, ran track, basketball, and obviously, football. My stats kind of speak for themselves," the former San Francisco 49ers star details of how he ended up a professional wide receiver, noting his "desire, dedication and discipline" is what made him among "the greats."
He mentions this attitude and mindset is the same for "any sport, whether it's soccer, hockey, tennis or what have you."
Though Owens landed himself a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, one thing he never earned was a Super Bowl ring — hence why he was chosen alongside other NFL legends for his recent candy-themed partnership and handed one of "M&M'S Almost Champions Ring of Comfort."
The commercial highlights Owens and fellow hall of famers Dan Marino and Bruce Smith — who all played in the championship game at one point in their career, but never made it to the big game.
"It's a recognition of being almost champions," he says of the ring, which was made out of peanut butter M&M'S.
Owens jokes: "As a fan of peanut butter M&M'S, it was almost like a match made in heaven."
Speaking on "almost" winning the Super Bowl, Owens admits, "I don't consider it losing [when you] to make it that far. That's an accomplishment in itself for sure."
"I know that I didn't win the big dance, the big show, the big game, but I wasfortunate to play in one of those. If you play this game, that's the ultimate goal — is to play in the big game," he states. "And so for myself, and you know, Bruce and Dan, we didn't win the big one, but we were almost there. We're still considered champions in our own right. That's what I take out of playing the game. I didn't win. I wasn't a champion for the namesake of the Lombardi Trophy, but for myself, I played like a champion."
And for those watching the Kansas City Chiefs take on the 49ers on Sunday, February 11, Owens teases: "We do have a surprise during our commercial that I can't reveal, but just stay tuned."
