Jason Witten

Early life

Witten has one cousin, Triston Witten, a niece, Scarlet Witten, and two older brothers, Ryan and Shawn. All were raised in Washington, D.C., but attended Elizabethton High School in Elizabethton, Tennessee. Witten's father, Ed, a 6-foot-8-inch (2.03 m), 300 pounds (140 kg) mailman, became addicted to alcohol and drugs when Witten was six and became abusive toward Witten's mother, Kim, and Witten's older brothers. When Witten was 11, he moved to Elizabethton to live with his grandparents. His grandfather, Dave Rider, was the coach of the football team where Witten was a two-way player, playing linebacker and tight end.

Witten became a three-year starter playing both linebacker and tight end, while helping his team reach the state semi-finals three times. As a senior linebacker, Witten finished the season with 163 tackles (registering a career school record 450), nine sacks, two interceptions, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two blocked kicks. That year, he received several accolades: All-American, All-State (also as a junior), USA Today Player of the Year for Tennessee, East Tennessee Player of the Year, Region Defensive Player of the Year and runner-up for the Mr. Football award. Witten had 26 receptions and 14 touchdowns on offense. He also played basketball, averaging 15 points and 12 rebounds per game.

College career

2000 season

In 2000, Witten accepted a scholarship to the University of Tennessee, with the promise from head coach Phillip Fulmer that he would be played at defensive end. Witten began his first year playing special teams and also saw time as a second-string defensive end.

After injuries impacted the depth at the tight end position, he was moved to the offensive side midway through the season. Although Witten did not agree with the change and even considered transferring, he eventually came around and was used primarily as a blocker while he learned the position. Witten also started in his first two games. As a freshman, he appeared in 12 games and recorded one reception on the season, which went for 11 yards in a 70–3 blowout victory over Louisiana–Monroe.

2001 season

Witten appeared in all 13 games as a sophomore, catching 28 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns. He scored his first collegiate touchdown in a 35–24 victory over Alabama in their annual rivalry game. Witten had 125 receiving yards and a touchdown in Tennessee's Citrus Bowl victory over Michigan. His performance in the 45–17 victory marked the third most receiving yards in a bowl game in Tennessee history.

2002 season

As a junior, Witten had a breakout year, setting school records for a tight end in receptions (39) and receiving yards (493) with five touchdowns, including one of the most memorable receptions in school history, a game-winning touchdown in the sixth overtime against Arkansas. He received All-SEC (SEC) and Academic All-SEC honors after leading the conference's tight ends in receptions and receiving yards. Witten was also a semifinalist for the John Mackey Tight End Award.

Even though Witten decided to enter the NFL draft after his junior season and had played the position in only 20 games, he left ranked third all-time among the school's tight ends with 68 career receptions and fourth all-time with 797 receiving yards.

Legacy

Following the 2017 college football season, Witten's name was placed on a college football award. The Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award honors a player who shows strong leadership qualities on and off the field.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Witten was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round with the 69th overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft. He was the fifth tight end selected that year. Although the Cowboys had a first-round grade on Witten, when their turn came in the first and second rounds, they selected cornerback Terrence Newman and Al Johnson based on team needs. Undrafted free agent Tony Romo was another rookie who also arrived in Dallas in 2003 and would go on to become Witten's teammate throughout their careers, as well as his roommate during future team training camps and travel games.

Entering the league as a 20-year-old rookie, one of the youngest players in the NFL, Witten started seven of the 15 games he played in. On September 7, he made his NFL debut in a 27–13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, recording one reception for 13 yards. During Week 5, Witten suffered a fractured jaw against the Arizona Cardinals, after being hit by Ronald McKinnon and Ray Thompson, which required surgery to have three plates inserted to help the healing. Witten only missed one game and continued to play through the injury. Head coach Bill Parcells complimented Witten on his toughness. Witten was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team for the 2003 season.

Witten finished his rookie year with 35 receptions for 347 yards and a touchdown. He made his playoff debut in the Wild Card Round against the Carolina Panthers, recording four receptions for 30 yards during the 29–10 loss.

Witten had a breakout season in 2004, finishing with 87 receptions for 980 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. His 87 receptions led the NFC and were the 11th most in NFL history by a tight end and a Cowboys team record for the position. During Week 7 against the Green Bay Packers, Witten had eight receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown in the 41–20 loss. On November 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles, he had nine receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns in Week 10. Witten was selected to his first Pro Bowl.

Witten finished sixth in the NFL among tight ends in total receptions and became the first Cowboys tight end to have at least 65 receptions in consecutive seasons. He had 66 receptions for 757 yards and six touchdowns for the 9–7 Cowboys in 2005. As a result of his successful season, Witten was named to his second Pro Bowl.

Initial retirement

On April 26, 2018, reports surfaced that Witten was going to retire and accept a position as the lead analyst for ESPN's Monday Night Football telecasts. A week later, Witten officially announced his retirement and confirmed he would be joining Monday Night Football for the 2018 season.

Dallas Cowboys (second stint)

On February 28, 2019, ESPN announced that Witten would return to the Cowboys on a one-year, $4.5 million deal, and leave his Monday Night Football position at the company.

In his return to the gridiron, Witten had three receptions for 15 yards and a receiving touchdown during the season-opening 35–17 victory over the New York Giants.

Witten finished the 2019 season with 63 receptions for 529 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games and starts.

Las Vegas Raiders

On March 25, 2020, Witten signed a one-year contract with the Las Vegas Raiders.

During Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills, Witten had his first touchdown as a Raider on a three-yard reception from quarterback Derek Carr. He was fined US$15,000 by the NFL on October 5, 2020, for attending a maskless charity event hosted by teammate Darren Waller during the COVID-19 pandemic in violation of the NFL's COVID-19 protocols for the 2020 season.

Witten finished the 2020 season with 13 receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games and seven starts.

Retirement

On January 27, 2021, Witten once again announced his retirement from the NFL and stated his intention to sign a one-day contract to retire as a member of the Cowboys.

NFL career statistics

NFL records and achievements

Most receptions in a single game by a tight end: 18 (October 28, 2012)

2012 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award winner

4th in receptions in NFL history: 1,228 (as of 2021)

Most consecutive games played by a tight end: 235 (243 including playoffs)

Most consecutive games started by a tight end: 179 (186 including playoffs)

Fastest tight end to make 600 receptions (125 games)

Cowboys franchise records

Most career receptions: 1,215

Most career receiving yards: 12,977

Most receptions in a single game: 18 (October 28, 2012, against the New York Giants)

Most games played: 255

Most consecutive games started: 179

First tight end to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season

First tight end to have at least 65 receptions in consecutive seasons

First player in franchise history to score in 16 seasons

Coaching career

On February 1, 2021, Witten was named the head football coach at Liberty Christian School. In 2023, he would lead the school to the state football championship (its fourth and its first unbeaten season in school history), the first title (at any level) in his career. In 2024, the Warriors won a second straight state title.

On January 8, 2026, Witten was hired as the tight ends coach for the Oklahoma Sooners. He joined former Cowboys teammate DeMarco Murray, who has served as the Sooners' running backs coach since 2020.

Personal life

Witten resides in Westlake, Texas, located in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex, with his wife Michelle, an emergency room nurse at Dallas's Parkland Memorial Hospital, and their four children, C.J., Cooper, Landry, and Hadley Grace.

Witten is a Christian, and appears in a video on I Am Second in which he talks about his faith.

Witten wrote an opinion piece for ESPN, titled "How Twitter has become NFL locker room poison" in which he detailed the potential negative impact social media can have, particularly on younger players, from his personal experiences.

In 2021 and just days after his second retirement from the NFL, Witten spurned the overtures of several NFL and college teams to coach and was named the head football coach at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas.