Jason Witten is walking away from football for a second, and likely final, time.
The veteran tight end is retiring from the NFL after a 17-year career, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. Witten is 38 years old.
Witten came out of retirement to play the 2020 season with the Las Vegas Raiders after serving on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” broadcast for one season. Before that, Witten, as you surely recall, played his first 16 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.
Witten plans to officially retire in March, per Archer.
The reason behind that is so he can finish out his contract with the Raiders, and when the new league year begins, sign a one-day contract with the Cowboys. He wants to officially retire with the team that drafted in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft.
Witten is considered to be among the best-ever players at the tight end position. He concluded his career with 13,046 receiving yards, 1,228 receptions and 74 touchdowns. He had four 1,000-yard seasons — 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 — while catching a career-best 110 receptions in 2012.
Witten was named a two-time All-Pro and 11-time Pro Bowler, but, unfortunately, never won a Super Bowl. Witten’s 271 career games (252 starts) are the most-ever for a tight end. He started all 16 games in 13 different seasons.
He was also named the 2012 Walter Payton Man of the Year for his impact off the field, and specifically service to the Dallas community.
