It has been a young offseason of surprising retirements around the NFL world. While this won’t necessarily be considered too surprising, Jason Witten has joined that growing list.
A former third-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys back in 2003, Witten initially retired following the 2017 season to pursue a career in broadcasting. That did not go too swimmingly before the Tennessee product returned to the Cowboys in 2019. After one season in Dallas, he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.
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Jason Witten to sign one-day contract with Cowboys after retiring
“Jason Witten has told ESPN he is retiring from the NFL after a 17-year career. He intends to sign one-day contract and retire as a member of the Dallas Cowboys in March when his contract with the Las Vegas Raiders expires in March,” ESPN’s Todd Archer reports.
Witten finishes his likely first ballot Hall of Fame career having recorded 1,228 receptions for 13,046 yards with 74 touchdowns while playing an NFL record 271 games from the tight end position.
He earned a whopping 11 Pro Bowl appearances in 16 seasons with the Cowboys before falling on hard times in Vegas this past season. All said, Witten caught just 13 passes for 69 yards with the Raiders in 2020.
Now that Jason Witten has opted to retire, the question becomes what he might do in his post-football career. As noted above, he struggled from the broadcast booth with ESPN back in 2018. That doesn’t seem to be an option.
However, coaching is likely his next stop. In fact, the Tennessee Volunteers were looking at the possibility of hiring Witten as a head coach a couple years back. At least initially, a gig as a tight ends coach could make sense.
Related: If you’re a fan of the Cowboys, check out #DallasCowboys rumors, rankings, and news here.