SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- By missing a deadline to declare free agency, San Francisco receiver Terrell Owens will apparently remain with the 49ers.
Under the current NFL bargaining agreement, players eligible to become free agents this year have until March 2 to declare. But any player who signed their most recent contract before the current CBA began (in March 2001) had to declare prior to Feb. 21.
Owens is in that latter category and because he missed the Feb. 21 date, NFL rules say he must fulfill the final three years of his contract.
The missed deadline was revealed Thursday and Owens' agent, David Joseph, has the right to challenge the decision.
Cleveland receiver Dennis Northcutt was affected the same way and will not become the free agent he had expected.
