We already knew why Terrell Owens wasn’t voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, but someone who was inside the room has given us confirmation.

Hall of Fame voter Gary Myers, of the Daily News, went on The Dan Patrick Show and told guest host Ross Tucker exactly how the debate surrounding Owens went down:

“It was the second longest discussion we had in the room other than Eddie DeBartolo,” Myers says. “The bottom line on T.O. is he was so disruptive. With (Lawrence Taylor), you don’t count the off-the-field stuff. That’s a mandate from the Hall of Fame — it’s only what you’ve done on the field. The argument that was made in the room, and I agreed with this, is what T.O. did in the locker room is a part…” “That counts?,” Tucker interrupts. “Why don’t you just evaluate what’s inside the white lines?” “I think the locker room is an extension of that,” Myers answers. “He’s a Hall of Fame player that five teams couldn’t wait to get rid of. So what does that tell about how disruptive he was?”

Well, Myers kind of trampled on his own argument by calling Owens a “Hall of Fame player,” which is the crux of the entire debate.

This is how that conversation should go down:

Is he a Hall of Fame player?

Yes.

OK, we should vote him in then.

Myers saying five teams couldn’t wait to get rid of Owens is also a little over the top. He spent eight productive seasons in San Francisco before the 49ers traded him. And Owens’ last two teams released him because his play had declined, not because he was a locker room cancer.

And by the same token, there were four teams that couldn’t wait to sign him despite all of those locker room concerns.

As Tucker said, Myers and other voters can’t know for sure what happened in the locker room. It’s all speculation. Owens’ play on the field, however, is not. He ranks second behind Rice in career receiving yards. He’s third in career touchdowns behind Rice and Randy Moss. He has a legitimate argument for being the second greatest wide receiver ever, and we’re going to keep him out because he celebrated with a Sharpie one time and forced his way out of Philadelphia?

Myers did admit that Owens would eventually get into Canton. But if he’s a Hall of Famer in 12 months, why isn’t he one today? The NFL’s limit on inductees in a given year is probably a factor, but based on Myers’ comments, this was more about punishing Owens for his behavior rather than choosing better players over him.

The notion that Owens tore teams apart is also questionable. Owens made the 49ers, Eagles and Cowboys better. It ended poorly in Philly, but was Owens’ spat with the Eagles’ front office anymore disruptive than Brett Favre’s on-again-off-again retirement, which certainly created some locker room awkwardness in Green Bay? Favre had no trouble getting in with similar statistical accomplishments and a questionable off-field résumé.

Owens’ exclusion shows how flawed the voting process is. It’s based entirely around the opinions of relative outsiders. Sure, media members have more access than fans, but they don’t know everything that is going on behind the scenes. The only thing voters know for sure is how a player performed on the field, and Owens did that better than just about anyone.