Mel Owens
Encyclopedia
Mel Owens 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.
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.
. 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.
, Spain, in the 1987 off-season and also competed in the 1987 Los Angeles Marathon.
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.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Owens was selected in the first round by the Los Angeles Rams out of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in the 1981 NFL Draft
1981 NFL Draft
The 1981 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1981...
. 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-AmericaAll-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
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
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
s and one Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
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 Draft1981 NFL Draft
The 1981 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1981...
. 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
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
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
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
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 PamplonaPamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
, 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 DoctorJuris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree. Owens now practices law in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
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.