Owens was born in Columbus, Ohio where his Texas-born father had come to do graduate studies he could not do back in Texas due to limits on African-American enrollment at the time. When very young the family moved to Tallahasee, Florida where his father taught as a college professor. He was one of the earliest African-American students to attend the high school he went to and was prepared for a science major in college by spending much time in college labs over the summer as a youth.
Football
Owens graduated from Rickards High School in Tallahassee, Florida in 1969, and then attended the University of Miami, where he was a First-Team All-American defensive back, Most Valuable Defensive Player of the North–South All Star Game, and MVP of the Coaches All-American Game. He was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall Of Fame in 1980, and its Orange Bowl "Ring of Honor" in 1999. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Miami. The New York Jets selected Owens in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft. During his rookie season, he returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos on October 28. This was the Jets' only TD scored on a kickoff return during the 1970s. He was a regular starter for the Jets for most of the 1970s, and was a part of the Raiders' 1980 championship team.
Career
Early career
In 1983, Owens moved to New York City. In 2012, he moved to Herriman, Utah. After his move to Utah, he became heavily involved in youth mentorship programs. Shortly after leaving pro-football, Owens and his brother ran a business that sold electronics to other businesses to track business expenses. The venture failed and Owens eventually declared bankruptcy. Owens later relocated to a small apartment in Brooklyn, where he worked as a chimney sweep and security guard. He later moved to Philadelphia, where he took a sales job with WordPerfect.
In November 2019, Owens announced that he would run for the U.S. House of Representatives to face Ben McAdams. He was one of four candidates to run in the 2020 Republican primary for the seat representing Utah's 4th congressional district. At a June 1, 2020 Republican primary debate, he stated his position that Democrats in Washington are held in thrall by Marxists and socialists, whom he described as enemies of America. “The days of Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill are over. We’re dealing with people who hate our country,” Owens stated. He also stated his position that the Affordable Care Act should be repealed, and stated support for President Trump. On June 30, 2020, he won the primary with 43% of the vote, defeating Utah State RepresentativeKim Coleman by a twenty-point margin. Owens also defeated challengers KSL radio personality Jay McFarland and businessman Trent Christensen.
