Photo credit: Knoxville News Sentinel
Dan Patrick of NBC mentioned the day after Jeremy Pruitt’s resignation, he had heard Jason Witten’s name as a possible candidate for the vacant Tennessee technician position. Well, Patrick was partially correct.
After retiring from the NFL after 17 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders, Witten agreed to become Liberty Christian’s football coach in Argyle, Texas.
Witten turned down several opportunities for NFL and college football as a technical assistant to choose to train at the school his children attend, according to ESPN reporter Todd Archer. He plans to sign a one-day contract with the Cowboys in March, once his contract with the Raiders expires.
“Faith. Family. Football,” said Witten in a statement released by the school. “In this next chapter, it is important for me to be the best father and husband I can be, while making a positive impact on the community and sharing the wisdom that I have accumulated over the years to positively impact the next generation. ”
“I’m very excited about Jason’s coming to the Liberty Christian coaching staff,” said Liberty athletic director Johnny Isom. “We have a group of extremely talented and hard-working coaches and it will undoubtedly prove to be an excellent addition. The football program will be in great hands under your leadership and I can’t wait to see the impact it will have on athletes’ lives ”.
Witten retired for the first time after the 2017 season and spent 2018 as an analyst for ESPN’s Monday Night Football, but chose to return to football and play for the Cowboys in 2019. He spent the last season with the Raiders, the only year of his life. career that did not pass in a Dallas uniform.
No tight end in NFL history has played more games than Witten’s 271, and only the Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez has more receptions and yards in position. Witten has been nominated for the Pro Bowl 11 times, the biggest draw in Dallas history. In 2012, he was named Walter Payton Man of the Year of the NFL.
Witten is the Cowboys’ all-time leader in receptions (1,215) and yards (12,977) and is second in touchdown catches (72). He had four seasons of 1,000 yards and, in 2012, set the record for catches in one season by a tight end (110). He played a team record of 255 games, including a franchise record of 245 games, losing only one game in his career because of a broken jaw as a rookie.
The Elizabethton, Tennessee native was chosen in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft, after a three-year career with the Vols. Witten left Tennessee in third place of all time between the tight ends of the school, with 68 career receptions, and in fourth place, with 797 reception yards. He took seven touchdown passes.