This is not a drill – lifelong Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, after a year in the Monday Night Football booth, followed in the footsteps of his predecessor Jon Gruden and left his broadcasting career to return to football.
Cowboys are giving their former and new tight end Jason Witten a one-year, $3.5 million contract, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 28, 2019
Jason Witten to End Retirement, Return to Dallas Cowboys in 2019
Witten played 15 years – his entire NFL career up to this point – in Dallas, playing 229 games consecutively out of his 239 and was selected to 11 Pro Bowls before his first retirement. Now, he will be returning to the franchise, which is coming off a 10-6 season where they lost to the eventual NFC champion Los Angeles Rams in the NFL Divisional Round
The news was first announced by the Cowboys and confirmed by ex-co-worker/ESPN insider Adam Schefter, who didn’t have to look far outside of his employer to get this story. Apparently, the story did not take many around Witten or at ESPN by surprise, as both Schefter and fellow reporter Chris Mortensen both reported that Witten seriously considered ending his retirement at least once in the middle of last season. He returns directly to the Cowboys on a reported 1-year, $3.5 million deal, according to Schefter, and up to $5 million can be earned in incentives, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Witten’s retirement in May 2018 was a little unexpected, but with the credentials under his belt as a player, there seemed to be little left for “Mr. Cowboy” to accomplish, except obtaining a Super Bowl championship. That seems to be the sole reason why he is returning for another year. “The fire inside of me to compete and play this game is just burning too strong,” Witten’s statement reads. “This team has a great group of rising young stars, and I want to help them make a run at a championship.”
Dallas’ all-time leading receiver and the 2012 Walter Payton Man of the Year, Witten was offered the Monday Night Football job after Gruden’s nine-year tenure at the network ended in January of last year so he could return to coaching the Oakland Raiders. This time around, ESPN hoped they had got a rising star personality within the NFL realm to join veteran announcer Joe Tessitore and fellow newcomer and ex-player Booger McFarland for a long time to come, like CBS did with former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who completed his first Super Bowl broadcast earlier this month. ESPN seemed satisfied with their work despite criticism of ‘MNF’ production throughout their first season together, with some critics and fan centering their detractions on Witten. Now, for the third time in three years, ESPN will be tasked with hiring another replacement personality to work their broadcasts.
“We thank Jason for his many contributions to Monday Night Football and to ESPN over the past year and wish him continued success,” ESPN said in a statement. “We have seen many former coaches and players go into broadcasting before eventually returning to the game they love, so we understand Jason’s desire to return to the Dallas Cowboys.” In the following weeks, ESPN will ‘determine their plans’ for the upcoming broadcast season.
For the Cowboys, regaining a key member of their recent history and additional help for their offense couldn’t come at a better time. Although Witten’s role and amount of snaps haven’t been announced, reports are speculating that he will play a minor role, as he is approaching age 37. Owner Jerry Jones had allegedly tried repeated efforts to lure Witten back to football, even though Jones denied it before.
While Witten returning to play might be in part to help out Jason Garrett, his head coach and personal friend, Witten’s future desire to become a coach himself may cause conflict between them and the rest of the new Cowboys offensive staff, like new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and quarterbacks coach Jon Kitna, both former Cowboys quarterbacks who are new to their positions. Garrett was expected to receive an extension on his contract, but Jones rescinded that offer following Dallas’ short-lived playoff season, adding to speculation and hopes that Garrett’s tenure may come to an end soon.
