Terrell Owens Has Surgery To Repair A Torn ACL

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Bengals wide receiver Terrell Owens recently underwent surgery to "repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees". Mortensen writes that a source claims Owens suffered the injury "while on site tapping a television show for VH1".

Another source said Owens tore the ACL during a personal workout but other sources could not confirm the cause of injury. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, also was unavailable for comment Sunday evening. His brother and partner in the agent business, Jason Rosenhaus, said, "I don't like to deny stories or confirm or deny anything. It's really something for Drew (to address)."

Owens was the Bengals leading wide receiver with 72 receptions, 983 yards receiving and nine touchdowns. It was only the second time in the past nine seasons the Bengals failed to post at least one 1,000-yard receiver.

Against the Browns on December 19, Owens "tore meniscus cartilage in his left knee" that ended his season, opening the door for Jerome Simpson, who posted 18 receptions for 247 yards receiving and three touchdowns during Cincinnati's final two games of the season.

Sources said while Owens did tear an ACL with the new injury, he suffered no other damage to the knee in question and with intensive rehab he conceivably could return within six months, or around mid-to-late November, in a best-case scenario.

Owens isn't expected to return to Cincinnati in 2011, injury or not. A PFT report claims that the Bengals considered deactivating Owens for the final three games of the season. A report that Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis would later refute.