FRISCO, Texas — Once again, Jason Witten is retiring from the NFL.
This time around, his departure will stick.
The beloved longtime Cowboys’ tight end played with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020 and announced his plans of retirement in addition to his desire to end his football tenure with the Silver and Blue, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Witten’s contract will expire with the Raiders in March at the end of the league year and he intends to sign a one-day contract to retire as a Dallas Cowboy, like Emmitt Smith did in 2005 after spending two seasons with the Cardinals.
Witten described to ESPN, “As I hang it up, I walk away knowing that for 17 seasons I gave it my absolute all. I am proud of my accomplishments as a football player on the field and the example I tried to set off of it. Football is a great game that has taught me many valuable lessons, and I look forward to passing on that knowledge to the next generation.”
Following the 2017 season, Witten hung up his cleats to become an analyst with the Monday Night Football crew. The next year, the old itch to play came back and he returned to the gridiron for the Cowboys for one season. Witten was not re-signed by the Cowboys in free agency and he signed a one-year deal with the Raiders. With Las Vegas in 2020, Witten only amassed 13 receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns.
The lack of production cannot take away from his 16-season illustrious career in Dallas. He made 11 Pro Bowl selections, the only offensive player in franchise history to do so, and the future Hall of Famer is the Cowboys’ all-time leader in receptions (1,215) and receiving yards (12,977). No tight end in league history has started in more games than Witten’s 271. He is among the top tight ends in NFL history and many of his famed plays over the years are immortalized in the hallways of the Star, the team’s headquarters in Frisco, Texas.
Coaching has been synonymous with Witten over the years and a possibility in his career trajectory. He may wind up on the sideline, this time trading in cleats for a headset. But regardless, his name will certainly be added to the team’s hallowed Ring of Honor.
