Owens finds a home with Argonauts

TORONTO » An offer from the NFL was on the table earlier this year for Chad Owens. But the Honolulu native and Hawaii product turned it down to remain in Canada.

The 29-year-old was the 2010 CFL Special Teams Player of the Year after leading the league in return yards and scoring four touchdowns. And the New York Jets took notice, offering him a contract in the NFL, where he played from 2005 through 2007.

Owens passed.

"I decided that staying in Toronto and the CFL was the best thing for me and my family right now," Owens said. "This gives me an opportunity to just relax and enjoy what I do. I know my family’s going to be taken care of for a few years."

That doesn’t mean he wasn’t tempted by the offer.

"Before, I was all about the NFL; that’s where I wanted to be," Owens said. "I would love to go back, but Toronto gave me a legitimate opportunity. They took care of me. I had a successful year with my teammates and built that relationship with them. That’s what it’s about."

And his decision speaks volumes.

"It’s more than playing in the NFL. Yeah, there’s a potential to make more money, but football is more than that. It’s about relationships you build, trying to set yourself up for the future and doing what’s best for you and the family at this given moment," he said.

"That’s why I’m still in Toronto. I plan on being here for the rest of my career. Hopefully we win a couple of championships along the way. I’m just trying to leave my legacy somewhere and I believe it will be here in Toronto."

Even though Owens’ two years in the NFL didn’t go as well as expected, he took much away from the experience.

"It was a dream come true," said Owens, a fifth-round pick of Jacksonville in 2005. "I think back on it sometimes and I do miss it. I miss that atmosphere. I learned a lot. It helped me see what being a professional football player is all about and helped me be the pro that I am today."

In 2008, he had a short stint with the Colorado Crush of the Arena Football League, another memorable experience for this ex-Warrior.

"That’s just a fun league. It’s a fast-paced game. You just go there and have fun," Owens said.

He then landed in Montreal, spending 2009 on the Alouettes’ practice squad before they traded him to the Argonauts in June 2010. Owens is one of two UH products in the CFL, with B.C. linebacker Solomon Elimimian, the league’s 2010 rookie of the year, being the other. Having two ex-Warriors in the CFL is a strong statement in itself.

"It speaks volumes. It opens the doors for other guys from Hawaii and helps them realize that the NFL is not the only thing out there," Owens said. "You can come to the CFL and have a successful career. You can play football and make a living. Yeah, the NFL is where you want to get to. That’s the highest stage and where you can potentially make the most money, but it’s also very difficult. It’s a tough business. It just opens up the eyes for players that there are more options out there."