Houston – If it were possible, Broncos wide receiver Jerry Rice might have reached out to the white stucco estate in Moorestown, N.J., on Wednesday and bopped an old teammate across the back of the head.
Luckily for Terrell Owens, Rice is a leader not a fighter.
If Rice could say anything to the embattled Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver and former San Francisco 49er, it would be that Terrell Owens is not nearly as important as Terrell Owens thinks.
“T.O. is a great, great football player,” Rice said Wednesday night after the Broncos’ controlled scrimmages against the Houston Texans, “but I don’t feel like you’re bigger than the team.”
Owens’ latest episode resulted in a seven-day suspension after he defied a team’s mandatory autograph session and coach Andy Reid. Not long after leaving training camp, Owens entertained the media in front of his home by shooting baskets, curling barbells and sweating out sit-ups.
Rice, who teamed with Owens in San Francisco from 1996- 2000, said he believes the tumult should have been doused much earlier in the summer. Although Rice had no problem with Owens’ desire to restructure his seven-year, $48.97 million contract, the NFL’s all-time leading receiver objected to the negotiating technique.
“If I was going to hold out, I wouldn’t publicize it,” Rice said. “I would go to the team and say, ‘Hey, guys, I feel like I should be paid like the top receivers, see what you guys can do.’ In that way you’re not calling management out. I think it’s just out of hand now. It’s out of control.”
Rice was in his 12th season, well on his way to Canton, when he helped break in the rookie Owens in 1996. Rice remained the 49ers’ featured receiver until 1999, when Owens became their primary target.
“Terrell has always been defensive,” Rice said. “If he feels like somebody crossed him or stabbed him in the back, he doesn’t forget that. But as a professional athlete you have to be able to move on. You’ve got to put your team first. I feel like the whole situation could have been dealt with on a professional level.”
Temper, temper
There were no serious blows, but the controlled scrimmages between the Broncos and Texans got testy at times, particularly when it was Denver’s defense vs. Houston’s offense.
During the morning workout, Broncos cornerback Curome Cox got into a brief pushing match with Texans wide receiver LaTarence Dunbar.
The evening session featured some intense trash talking between Texans wide receiver Kevin Kasper, a former Bronco, and Denver middle linebacker Al Wilson.
“It’s football, it’s fun, we’re not out there playing soccer,” Kasper said. “I love the way Al Wilson plays football.”
Footnotes
For the first time since suffering a dislocated left elbow during an indoor practice last week, Broncos defensive lineman Courtney Brown observed workouts from the sidelines while wearing a monstrous brace and sling. “It was tough, man,” said Brown, who is hoping to be ready by the team’s Sept. 11 regular-season opener in Miami. “We’ve battled some injuries before. I’ve just got to keep pressing. I’m almost out of the sling and thank God no surgery.” …
After the morning workout, Rice, who’s entering his 21st season, chatted with Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson, who has 145 catches for 2,118 yards after only two seasons. …
Quarterback Jake Plummer arrived sans his scruffy beard. He didn’t understand how his clean-shaven look was relevant to how the Broncos’ offense would attack the Texans’ 3-4 defense. “It’s not like I grew it backwards or anything,” he said.
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.
