FRISCO, Texas – After 17 seasons, Jason Witten retires from the NFL. He plans to sign a one-day contract and retire as a member of the Dallas Cowboys in March when his contract with the Las Vegas Raiders expires at the end of the league year.
Witten, 38, played 16 seasons with the Cowboys and spent 2020 with the Raiders. No definite finish in NFL history has played more games than Witten’s 271, and only Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez has more receptions and yards on the position.
“Once upon a time, a coach told me, ‘The legacy of heroes is the remembrance of a good name and the legacy of a great example,'” Witten told ESPN. away knowing that I gave it my all for absolutely 17 seasons. I am proud of my achievements as a football player on the field and the example I tried to set it. game that taught me many valuable lessons, and I look forward to passing on the knowledge to the next generation. ‘
He only retired after the 2017 season and spent 2018 as ESPN Monday Night Football analyst, but chose to return to the Cowboys in 2019.
Witten, who was a third-round pick in 2003, has developed into one of the best tight ends in NFL history. He was nominated 11 times in the Pro Bowl, equal to the Hall of Fame’s defensive line Bob Lilly, Bob Lilly, for the most part in Dallas’ history. In 2012, he was named the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year winner for the work he and his wife, Michelle, did with their foundation.
Witten is the all-time leader of the Cowboys in receptions (1,215) and yards (12,977) and is second in offense (72). He had four 1000 seasons, and in 2012 he set the record for catches in a season with a fixed point (110) – a record that has since been broken.
He played 255 games in a team record, including a franchise record of 245, and he missed just one game in his career due to a broken jaw as a rookie. He had 13 catches for 69 yards and two touchdowns for the Raiders, but he was praised by coach Jon Gruden and Darren Waller for his mentorship.
Coaching has long been mentioned as a possibility for Witten’s next step. He is immediately linked to opportunities at the NFL and college level if he wants to get started on the road. He will undoubtedly be inducted into the Cowboys’ Honor Ring, and he will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026.