1977 Profile: Burgess Owens

Free Safety
No. 22
Miami
"Needs a permanent home. Owens was drafted as a cornerback but spent his first two seasons at strong safety. The Jets have jockeyed him around at all four defensive backfield spots. He played two games at cornerback last year but the results were mediocre, prompting the shuffle back to free safety. Owens seems best suited for free safety.
The most consistent of the Jets' defensive backs the past three years, he has fine speed along with the size and strength to be a punishing tackler for a defensive back.
A first-round draft choice in 1973, Owens was an All-American cornerback at the University of Miami. He was born in Tallahassee and plans a dentistry career."

-Rich Kucner, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football, 1977 Edition

"'He found a home at free safety last season and probably had his best year,' says head coach Walt Michaels. 'He's one of the best free safeties in the league, and now we'll have to see how far he can go from here.'
After three campaigns at strong safety, Owens was switched to cornerback in the preseason and started the first two regular season games there before a musical chairs' switch sent him to free safety, Phil Wise to strong safety and Shafer Suggs to left cornerback in the third game at Miami. Owens led the secondary in total tackles (123), was third in solo stops with 61 and recovered three fumbles. He made an outstanding play at Buffalo, catching O.J. Simpson from behind to save a touchdown and possibly the game.
Burgess has stayed healthy most of his career, missing only three games in 1975 with a torn tendon in his left knee. He was the Jets' Rookie of the Year and a member of the NFL All-Rookie team in 1973. Burgess made the Jets' last interception for a touchdown (29 yards at Baltimore in 1974) and also the last Jet kickoff return for a touchdown (82 yards against Denver in 1973). He had three interceptions in both 1974 and 1975 and one in 1973.
In college, Owens was [selected] All-America by the Sporting News and second team by the NEA. He made 160 tackles and eight interceptions while playing primarily at cornerback. A running back in high school, he gained over 1,500 yards with 19 touchdowns.
Burgess is articulate as a banquet speaker. He was born in Columbus, Ohio and his hometown is Tallahassee, Florida. His father is a professor of agronomy at Florida A&M."

-1977 New York Jets Media Guide