LOS ANGELES — Terrell Owens’ assistant told a 911 operator that the former NFL wide receiver had overdosed on painkillers in what she believed was a suicide attempt, TMZ reported Thursday.
The incident occurred Oct. 6 when Owens’ female assistant reported that his breathing was shallow and he was barely awake after taking prescription painkillers, according to audio of the 911 call posted by TMZ.
The dispatcher later asked, “Was this a suicide attempt?” — and she responded, “Yes, I believe so.”
At first, the woman said Owens had taken four pills, but later said she was not sure of the exact amount.
The woman said the 37-year-old, whom she described as her “boss,” was “talking to his girlfriend, ex-girlfriend … [I] don’t really know what you wanna call it.”
TMZ reported at the time that Owens had been rushed to a Los Angeles hospital and treated for a possible pill overdose. Owens and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, have not commented on the incident.
In Sept. 2006, his first season with the Dallas Cowboys, Owens was hospitalized for overdosing on painkillers, though he denied it was a suicide attempt. He instead maintained he had a bad reaction to the medication.
The news comes two days after Owens held a televised workout in California, hoping to convince an NFL team to sign him after suffering an offseason knee injury. However, no team sent a scout to watch the workout and none have expressed interest to this point in signing the six-time Pro Bowler.
Owens has played for five teams in 15 seasons. He amassed 983 yards and nine touchdowns for the Cincinnati Bengals last season, moving into second on the all-time receiving yards list behind Jerry Rice at 15,934.