This year, Terrell Owens will finally be going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Many, including himself, believe it's been a long time coming too - as the former wide receiver was one of the best to ever play in the NFL.

WHAT OWENS ACHIEVED

In a career that spanned over 14 years, T.O. played for five different teams.

He began with the San Francisco 49ers, before moving to the Philadephia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills, then went onto finish with the Cincinnati Bengals.

It was in California and Texas that Owens found much of his personal success. He went to the Pro Bowl in six of those seasons and led the league in receiving touchdowns three times.

On top of that, he was named in the NFL’s 2000 All-Decade Second Team - establishing himself as one of the best of the modern era.

WHY HE HASN’T BEEN INDUCTED YET

Questions then, arise around the fact that it’s taken the league so long to induct T.O. into the HoF.

In fact, he was snubbed twice before finally being voted in five months ago.

According to reports, it was the controversy surrounding Owens that held back his inclusion until now.

But even after finally being recognised, he’s causing the league more trouble.

SKIPPING HIS OWN INDUCTION

After being announced as a member of the HoF class of 2018, Owens announced that he will not be attending his own enshrinement ceremony.

No player has ever done that before - so obviously, it’s caused quite a stir.

He’s faced a lot of backlash from fans and former players alike, who disagree with his decision to

In fact, Cowboys legend Michael Irvin has pretty much gone as far as saying that it’s a slap in the face to everyone who worked to try and get him in there - including Irvin himself.

IRVIN HITS OUT AT T.O.

"I was disappointed that we will be cheated as a Hall of Fame team, one of our teammates, that he took that decision," Irvin said, per ESPN.

"Of course, everybody says, ‘He has the right to make the decision.’ Yes, he does and we have the right to say we don’t like it. It is what it is.

"And I’m also disappointed because, you know, we fought for T.O," the former Dallas WR continued.

"It wasn’t like T.O. had said that it didn’t matter, ‘I don’t care about being in the Hall,’ or, ‘I don’t care about that at all.’

"Then everybody wouldn’t have invested emotions and feelings into it and we did… We talked about it, tried to get him in.

"We talked about it on air because he rightfully belongs in there. Then he gets in and he makes that decision, I was absolutely disappointed about it."

It sounds like Irvin and a number of others tried desperately hard to get Owens into the Hall of Fame.

So for him to turn around turn down that invitation, it must seem like a huge slap in the face for a fellow Cowboys legend.