Mel Owens Mel Owens ( born December 7 , 1958 ) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League . Owens was selected in the first round by the Los Angeles Rams out of the University of Michigan in the 1981 NFL Draft . Owens played his entire professional career for the Rams and finished his ten seasons with 26 . 5 quarterback sacks . University of Michigan . In his senior season of 1980 Owens had 100 tackles ( 8 for a loss ) intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble . He was an honorable mention All - America selection in 1980 by AP and NEA . He was also an All - Big 10 choice by the AP . As a junior he had 73 tackles ( 2 for a loss ) and one interception . He was injured in 1978 versus Notre Dame , but had gotten off to a good start with 9 tackles and 1 interception . He ended his career with 228 tackles ( 12 for a loss ) and 3 interceptions . He played in three Rose Bowl s and one Gator Bowl while at Michigan . He graduated with a degree in political science . Los Angeles Rams . The Rams selected Owens with the ninth overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft . His reported time in the 40 - yard dash was 4 . 65 and his bench press was 390 pounds . He played mostly on special teams in 1981 and 1982 . He made his first start against the Los Angeles Raiders in the second - to - last game of the 1982 NFL season in which he recorded 10 tackles before leaving the game with a knee injury . The injury caused him to miss the last two weeks of the season . Owens became a full - time starter in 1983 , when the Rams switched to a 3 - 4 defense . That season he was fifth on the Rams defense with 83 tackles . He also had four sacks . In 1984 he was third in tackles with 79 and 3 . 5 sacks and an interception along with three fumbles recovered and a forced fumble . The following season , 1985 , he was sixth in tackles with 68 ( 5 for a loss ) and also contributed 9 sacks , third on the team . In 1986 Owens was an honorable mention All - pro by the Associated Press as the Rams defense ranked in the NFL ' s top 5 for the second consecutive season . In Week 3 of 1986 Owens was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week by the NFL . Owens started every non - strike game from 1983 through 1987 . In 1988 he suffered an ankle injury that limited him to 7 games ( 4 starts ) . In 1989 he was switched to inside linebacker , after spending his entire NFL career at strong outside linebacker . He played all 16 games with 10 starts . Owens totaled 453 tackles with 26 . 5 sacks in his Ram career with 4 interceptions . Personal . Owens was involved in several business ventures in Los Angeles , including a line of clothing called " Evolution Wear " . He also operated a nationwide restaurant reservation hotline in the 1980s called 1 - 800 - LETS - EAT . He traveled to Egypt in the 1984 off - season . In 1987 he ran with the bulls in Pamplona , Spain , in the 1987 off - season and also competed in the 1987 Los Angeles Marathon . Post - NFL . Following his time as an NFL player , Owens returned to school and attended University of California Hastings College of Law receiving his Juris Doctor degree . Owens now practices law in Southern California and is a partner with the lawfirm , Namanny , Byrne & Owens , specializing in assisting veteran athletes pursue worker ' s compensation and disability claims in state court . Owens frequently collaborates on special projects with attorney Don West , Jr .