Terrell Owens' Iconic 'Get Your Popcorn Ready' Moment: The Story Behind the NFL's Most Famous Celebration

By Jason Bolton August 27, 2024 09:16

Photo by Kyle Terada/USA Today Network/Reuters

Terrell Owens is one of the best wide receivers to ever play in the NFL. He is known not only for his performance on the field but also for his overblown touchdown celebrations. One of the all-time great moments was his "Get Your Popcorn Ready" celebration following a touchdown. Here, we explore the lead-up to that celebration and its execution, as well as how it changed baseball in some ways for good.

Background and Context

The celebration, "Get Your Popcorn Ready," wasn't born out of a particular in-game instant but started as an expression Owens used when he joined the Dallas Cowboys ahead of training camp in 2006. This line would be the precursor of one of his signature celebrations.

As a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, Owens was notorious for his outspoken comments and actions on and off the field. He came to Dallas with lots of hype and curiosity from fans, as well as TV and print media wondering how the talented but volatile WR would fit in a productive Cowboys offense.

In the press conference greeting at his first introduction as a member of the Cowboys, Owens famously announced: "Get your popcorn ready," warning fans that they're going to be in for quite an entertaining ride.

The Celebration in Action

Once the phrase "Get your popcorn ready" was introduced off the field, Owens began using it during his on-field celebrations with Dallas. Owens generally backpedaled as though he were eating popcorn after catching a touchdown pass.

The most famous incident of this was a game on Thanksgiving Day, November 23rd, 2006, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Owens caught a touchdown pass and celebrated by dropping the football into an oversized Salvation Army Red Kettle near the end zone. Although this celebration did not relate directly to the "popcorn" theme, it showed Owens' flair for stylized touchdown celebrations.

After scoring, Owens would mimic scooping an armful of popcorn as if from a bucket he kept in the end zone for when hunger struck him half, fantasized at his lowest calorie counts, tired-up on cans of peas, then fling it down his gullet.

The "Get Your Popcorn Ready" celebration eventually became Owens' trademark during his days as a Cowboy, appearing multiple times in 2006 and 2007. Considering Owens' flair for the dramatic, gamesmanship, and ability to take over a game, it made perfect sense.

Impact and Legacy

One of the most famous receiving touchdown celebrations in NFL history is The "Get Your Popcorn Ready," where Owens celebrates by eating popcorn that a fan throws. Its effects were the following:

Media Presence: The event received a great deal of attention from sports media outlets, which made the celebration an iconic one. And the act made Owens an even bigger player than he was for his performance on the football field.

NFL Culture: The sequence encouraged the always-flowing debate over what is and isn't an acceptable touchdown celebration in the NFL. Some fans considered it simply harmless fun and added flair to the game, while others found it excessive showboating. This argument has continued to define NFL celebration policy in the years since.

Tagline: Owens turned the popular phrase "Get Your Popcorn Ready" into a must-use marketing and merchandising approach in his brand. It ended up on t-shirts and all, helping to make this play a legend in the NFL.

Owens tapped into the popularity of that celebration when he used it in another light-hearted way at a 2007 Cowboys training camp practice. The receiver also infamously left a note for reporters before the Cowboys played the New England Patriots in their first game of that season. And there it is, the note signed off with "p.s. Getcha Popcorn Ready" just to show how integrated that saying had become into Owens' vocabulary.

Personal Perspective

Owens delivered with self-confidence and enjoyment to be the fans' lovable bad guy. The "Get Your Popcorn Ready" perfectly summarizes both sides. In telling fans to prepare for a show, Owens displayed confidence in his ability and raised expectations of what he would do.

While on the field, Owens also brought fun and entertainment to fans as he always said they paid their hard-earned money. In a 2004 interview, he said, "I just try to have fun. At the end of the day, football is still a sport, but it's also entertainment. The fans pay big fees enough so they can go to be amused". As an example of that philosophy, the popcorn celebration was a transparent play on making every touchdown its little spectacle for fandom.

Although Owens had numerous celebrations during his career, from signing a football with a Sharpie to striking one of the most iconic poses atop the Dallas Cowboys star logo, "Get Your Popcorn Ready" maintains its place due to how long it has lasted and its overall impact. It became bigger than the moment in which it was manufactured, more a war cry embodying all plays, games, and Owens' days as a Cowboy.

In the end, Terrell Owens' celebration not only delivered on its hype, it gave fans a show they'd never forget and created an unforgettable game that people would talk about long after the final whistle blew.