Terrell Owens hugs Brian Dawkins after the Eagles beat the Falcons in the NFC Championship Game. AP

The best move Terrell Owens made last Sunday afternoon was one that few people saw. It came in the Philadelphia Eagles locker room, long after he had bounced along the sidelines and swayed to the sweet sounds of Ciara during his team's 27-10 NFC Championship win over the Atlanta Falcons. As his teammates talked to the media about finally reaching the Super Bowl, Owens vanished to the training room. He let them enjoy their moment instead of overshadowing it by answering questions about whether his surgically repaired right ankle will be healed in time for the game.

I liked Owens's absence because it was another indication that he's willing to be a good teammate in Philadelphia. That's something that he hasn't gotten enough credit for this year. We talk about how he improved Philadelphia's passing game and brought a swagger to the Eagles, but there isn't enough said about the subtle moves he's made to fit in with this team. His absence from the locker room after Sunday's game was one of those.

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This is the side of Owens that people haven't seen much of. It gets easily missed in all the headlines he generates off the field. But after being around the Eagles and talking with Owens last week, I sensed that he's become the kind of teammate people in the San Francisco 49ers would never recognize. He's more open, less guarded and he's made obvious attempts to be involved with his team.

When Owens could only get around on crutches after his operation, he was still showing up for receiver meetings, where he'd offer advice to younger wideouts like Greg Lewis and Billy McMullen. During a couple practices last week, he slowly jogged through pass routes and caught passes on the sidelines, just to show his teammates he was committed to returning for the Super Bowl. Given Owens's reputation in San Francisco, he could've isolated himself and emerged when he was healthy enough to contribute again. His willingness to stay focused on the team proves how much he's grown with the Eagles.

As a member of the 49ers, Owens went out of his way to be unlikable. He had hardly any friends and most of his teammates tolerated him only because of his immense talent. He feuded with his head coach, publicly berated his offensive coordinator and constantly denounced the talents of his former quarterback, Jeff Garcia. Owens' critics believe that version of T.O. will eventually emerge in Philadelphia -- presumably if the Eagles ever start losing or Donovan McNabb develops a habit of underthrowing him -- but I'm not so sure of that.