When Terrell Owens signed with the Dallas Cowboys two years ago, he told everyone to get their popcorn ready. When he signed an extension Tuesday, the club had the popcorn ready for him -- a giant bowl of the buttery stuff, big enough to feed the entire offensive line.
"That's funny," Owens said, scooping a few kernels into his mouth.
Owens signed a three-year extension on the same day cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was allowed to practice with Dallas for the first time. The extension **keeps Owens in Dallas** through the 2011 season. The deal includes a $12.9 million signing bonus and a $100,000 base salary guarantee, reports NFL Network's Adam Schefter. Owens is slated to make $19.5 million over the next two years, $27 million over the next three years and $34 million over the four years he now has left on his contract.
With those two as teammates, passing drills at the Cowboys' practice field just got a lot more interesting to watch, probably good enough theater for popcorn.
Pacman didn't wait long to make his first highlight, either. On the final play of drills, he intercepted a pass -- from third-stringer Richard Bartel, not Tony Romo -- and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown.
"I would've prevented that in a second," said Owens, who missed Pacman's first workout because he was in New York until Tuesday afternoon.
Owens' deal prevents him from going through this season as a free-agent-to-be and locks him up through 2011, when he turns 38. It also puts him in the same salary range as Randy Moss.
And, if he plays it out, he'll have lasted six seasons in Dallas, far longer than most people's expectations when he arrived to a wary fan base, a reluctant coach and had a first season filled with injuries, an overdose and all sorts of wackiness.
"This contract really, for a lot of people, it signifies money and they see dollar signs, but for me, it signifies commitment," Owens said.
Team owner Jerry Jones plainly said he wants Owens to finish his career wearing a star on his helmet.
As for his new cornerback, Jerry Jones wouldn't say whether he was surprised by Commissioner Roger Goodell's decision on Monday to **partially reinstate Pacman** -- who has been suspended since April 2007 -- allowing him to practice and play in preseason games. Goodell will decide Pacman's regular-season status by Sept. 1.
"I think we should be careful creating a graduation scenario here," Jerry Jones said. "He wasn't reinstated, but he's getting (a) chance. That's a plus, but nothing more. ... I had hoped that we could create enough at the league office that the way we're doing it would allow him to do that."
Now that Pacman is this close, Jerry Jones already is envisioning him on the field -- wearing No. 21, just like Deion Sanders wore for the Cowboys. Sanders has become sort of a big brother to Pacman, trying to help him follow the rules of the NFL and society.
"I see it now. I see it right now," Jones said. "I think he's got the resolve. I think he can help our team. ... I know I feel good about it. I hope that will make our fans feel better about it."
The Associated Press contributed to this report
