Kats Sign Eight-Year NFL Veteran Ritchie Owens
November 9, 2004 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Nashville Kats News Release
NASHVILLE (Nov. 9, 2004) â The Nashville Kats have signed eight-year NFL veteran Ritchie Owens to the team's active roster, Kats head coach Pat Sperduto announced on Tuesday.
Owens (6'5, 280) played on the defensive line for the Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks during an outstanding NFL career. The 32-year old Lehigh product tallied 150 tackles and 28.5 sacks during his stint in the NFL, forcing seven fumbles and batting down 21 passes as well. He has spent time at defensive tackle and at end, and is poised to begin his first season playing on both sides of the ball.
"Ritchie is a talented player who brings a lot to this team," said Sperduto. "He knows what it takes to be a good player in professional football, and he can help us win."
A fifth-round draft choice of the Redskins in 1995, Owens battled back from a knee injury that cost him the entire 1998 season. After four seasons in Washington, he played for the Dolphins in 1999 and 2000, then played for the Chiefs in 2001 before ending his NFL career with the Seahawks in 2002. Altogether, Owens played in 97 regular season contests in the NFL.
In addition to inking Owens, the Kats also released WR/DB Darcy Levy, whom they had taken in the expansion draft, and moved lineman Anthony Herron to the team's exempt roster. Herron, who signed a free agent deal with the team in October, was signed this week by the NFL's Atlanta Falcons. The moves bring the number of players on the Kats' active roster to 35. The team can carry up to 37 until the end of training camp, when they must trim the roster down to 24 players. The Kats begin training camp in early January.
The Nashville Kats begin play in the Arena Football League's Central Division in January 2005. The expansion franchise, which is owned by Tennessee Titans owner K.S. "Bud" Adams, Jr., and boasts country music superstar Tim McGraw as a minority partner, will keep the name and identity of the previous Nashville Kats arena football franchise, which played in the AFL from 1997-2001. Tickets are available by phone at 615-565-4700, or through Katsonline.com.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from November 9, 2004
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