The Dallas Cowboys have released wide receiver Terrell Owens, according to ESPN’s Michael Smith . Last month, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did not deny the team was discussing the possible release of Owens. .The team did not immediately have comment. A spokesman for Owens said he hadn’t heard the news, and that the receiver was traveling and could not immediately be reached, according to The Associated Press.

The Cowboys paid Owens a $12 million signing bonus last year, which was included as part of a new four-year, $34 million deal. Dallas will take a roughly $9 million salary-cap hit with the release of Terrell Owens. In his controversial three years with the Cowboys, Owens caught 235 passes for 3,587 yards and 38 touchdowns in 47 games. He led the NFL with 13 touchdowns receiving in 2006, his first season in Dallas.

Rumors have been circulating since the end of the Cowboys season, in which they missed the playoffs, that they would consider cutting Owens to improve team morale. Terrell Owens had serious relationship issues with quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten, but the receiver consistently criticized offensive coordinator Jason Garrett’s play calling and his offensive schemes to the point that sources have said Garrett did not believe he and Owens could coexist.

Owens told The Dallas Morning News in May 2008 he “definitely” wanted to finish his career with the Cowboys. Guess not!

The Philadelphia Eagles crushed the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, 44-3. The Eagles will now advance to the NFL playoffs with a wild card and the Dallas Cowboys will go home and pick up the pieces.

Donovan McNabb and the Eagles offense looked strong, but the real disaster was Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys offense, with fumbles and interceptions, combined with an overall lack of productivity resulting in the worst loss of the season to a hated rival.

The already hurting Dallas Cowboys must now play a few games without two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo, who has a broken finger on his throwing hand.

There was indeed something wrong when Romo badly missed on his last two pass attempts to Terrell Owens in a 30-24 overtime loss at Arizona on Sunday, the Cowboys’ second defeat in three games. Coach Wade Phillips said Monday that Romo broke his right pinkie finger on the first play of OT.

Brad Johnson, the 40-year-old backup whose last start was in 2006 for Minnesota, takes over Sunday when the Cowboys plays at St. Louis.