Philadelphia wide receiver Terrell Owens remained the central uncertainty heading into Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, Florida, as Eagles coach Andy Reid and Patriots coach Bill Belichick closed out their final pre-game media sessions Friday.
Owens fractured his right fibula and ankle on 19 December, ending a stretch in which he had caught 77 passes for 1,200 yards and scored 14 touchdowns across 12 games. Doctors advised against playing, but Owens practiced through the week and declared himself ready to perform.
Reid confirmed the Eagles had specific plays drawn up for Owens and that he would see the field regardless of whether he starts. Quarterback Donovan McNabb praised Owens as both a scoring threat and a motivating presence but acknowledged that stamina could become a factor in the closing minutes.
New England enters Sunday seeking its third championship in four years. Belichick, who could surpass Vince Lombardi's all-time playoff win record with a victory, said his staff had used the full two-week preparation window working out how to slow an Eagles offense he called among the toughest in the league, built around McNabb's dual run-pass threat and playmakers including Owens and Brian Westbrook.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in February 2005, in its own words.