Richard Owens Richard Owens ( born November 4 , 1980 ) is a former American football tight end . The Minnesota Vikings acquired him as an undrafted free agent in 2004 . He played college football at Louisville . Owens has also been a member of the St . Louis Rams and New York Jets . Early years . As a defensive lineman at Middleburg High School , he was a First - team All - Area tight end and 2nd - team All - Area . Owens caught 19 passes for 242 yards and recorded 46 tackles and 4 sacks as a senior , as well as averaging 14 yards per catch , had 51 tackles , 3 sacks , and 4 blocked kicks as a junior . He was selected to athletic director ' s honor roll in his final 2 years . In 2006 , Owens high school number was retired before a Middleburg High School football game . College career . While majoring in sports administration at the University of Louisville , Owens played under former Vikings Offensive Coordinator Scott Linehan . In 1999 , he was redshirted as a freshman . The following year , he played in all 12 games with 3 starts . He was selected to Conference USA All - Freshman Team . Although he had just one catch , it went for a 10 - yard TD in a shutout win over Grambling He also served as the team ' s backup longsnapper . In 2001 , he played in thirteen games , and had three catches on the season , two of which went for TDs , including a 9 - yard TD pass against Southern Miss and a 22 - yarder against TCU . In 2002 , He appeared in all thirteen games with starts in six of the last seven games . He was ranked 6th on the team with a career - high 20 catches for 182 yards and two TDs . He caught a career - high six balls for 72 yards and a score against TCU in his first start of the season , and had five catches for 39 yards against Marshall University in the GMAC Bowl . In his senior year , he played in all thirteen games with four starts and finished 7th on the team with twelve catches for 121 yards and three TDs . Against Temple , he caught two passes for twelve yards and a TD . He also had two receptions for 23 yards and a TD at South Florida as well as grabbing two catches for 22 yards vs . Tulane . He also recorded a 7 - yard TD reception at Cincinnati . Owens finished his career with 36 catches for 371 yards and eight touchdowns , while also serving as the Cardinals ' longsnapper . Professional career . Minnesota Vikings . In his three year career , he has accumulated 16 catches for 123 yards and one touchdown . In 2004 , Owens started two of the eight games he played in . He caught eight passes for 69 yards and made 3 special teams tackles . He joined defensive tackle Spencer Johnson and long snapper Cullen Loeffler as the only rookie free agents to make the opening - day roster in 2004 and was one of eight Vikings rookies to start a 2004 regular - season game . He joined LS Cullen Loeffler as game vs . Chicago , opening at halfback and catching two passes for 16 yards . At Houston , he started his second consecutive game , catching three passes for 17 yards in the 36 - 28 overtime win . In week two of the 2006 season , Owens caught a 16 - yard touchdown pass , his first career touchdown , on a fake field goal attempt , thrown by Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell . On his way to the endzone , Owens dodged an attempted tackle by Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers . The Vikings won the game 16 - 13 in overtime . New York Jets . Owens signed with the New York Jets on July 14 , 2009 . He was waived on August 3 , 2009 . Personal . He is married to his high school girlfriend , Tina . Owens volunteered with the Salvation Army during 2004 season and has earned numerous state and national awards for his work with Toys for Tots , Habitat for Humanity , and FHA / HERO . Worked under Bobby Petrino as a tight end coach at the University of Arkansas . Now he is the assistant coach of UAB , in Alabama .