Seahawks broke rule by allowing Owens to wear shoulder pads

RENTON, Wash. – Terrell Owens had a fast start to his Seattle Seahawks career.

Too fast in fact.

That has nothing to do with the fact he ran 40 yards in 4.45 seconds, and everything to do with the fact he wore shoulder pads during practice Wednesday.

He shouldn’t have been wearing pads that day, according to the league’s collective-bargaining agreement, which stipulates a three-day acclimation period for a player joining a team during training camp.

On Day 1, the player can undergo a physical exam and attend meetings, according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. The next two days, he can wear a helmet during workouts and walk-throughs, but cannot wear full pads.

Owens was signed Monday, according to the Seahawks, and took part in only a walk-through session Tuesday. He was in shoulder pads when he practiced Wednesday morning, an inadvertent violation of the league’s guidelines, according to the Seahawks.