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Credit to-MATT WINKEL The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
01/18/05 FLOWERY BRANCH — Terrell Owens sent a funny message to the Falcons, although it's not clear if anybody's laughing.The Eagles wide receiver said his surgically repaired right ankle, and fractured right fibula may not keep him out of Sunday's NFC Championship Game against Atlanta.


"He says he's playing," coach Jim Mora said. "He said to (Atlanta wide receiver Jimmy Farris): 'Hey, you tell Jim I might be there. I might be there.' And I'll tell you what, he's such a tremendous competitor . . . old 81 might just trot out on the field Sunday."Owens, who was injured Dec. 19 against Dallas, befriended Farris when Farris was on the 49ers' practice squad in 2001.

Philadelphia team officials have not been as optimistic as Owens, who had surgery Dec. 22, when doctors put, "a syndesmotic screw put through both bones in his ankle to stabilize that joint," Eagles athletic trainer Rick Burkholder said. "That screw is pretty big."A spiral fracture in Owens' fibula, about 10 centimeters below his knee, is being trusted to heal on its own.

Owens is virtually certain not to play, but as his history demonstrates, predicting what he'll do is dangerous business. "He called me during the (Vikings-Eagles) game, and said, I'm might just be out there, you never know," Farris said. "If you know Terrell, he was just messing around, I think.
Although if anybody was to come back that soon from that injury I wouldn't be surprised if it was him.