Getty Cowboys tight end Jason Witten and linebacker Sean Lee.
As Dallas Cowboys minicamp started on Tuesday, Sean Lee continued to gush over seeing his old buddy Jason Witten back on the field.
Lee and Witten go way back, both being Cowboy lifers and former All-Pro picks with Dallas. But as the old adage goes, iron sharpens iron, and the two competitors keep things spicy in practice — even if it is just minicamp.
When talking with NFL Network reporter Jane Slater, Lee reiterated his stance that Witten might be one of the best smack talkers of all time.
“He’s a Hall of Famer on the field, off the field and as a trash talker,” Lee said. “He’s going to challenge you in every way possible. And when he does, he’s going to talk trash and let you know. When you come into practice you have to prepared for his intensity.”
#Cowboys LB Sean Lee and I talk Jason Witten’s HOF demeanor on the field and what he’s seen from this “new look” offsense so far
Lee had a similar statement last week when asked what it was like to have the former Monday Night Football host back on the field.
“He usually starts a little bit and then we start chirping back and forth,” linebacker Sean Lee said to reporters at OTAs last week. “He’s always pressing people to get better.”
While being interviewed by Slater, Lee also dug into the new-look offense under first-year coordinator, Kellen Moore.
“It’s been a challenge for us defensively. Kellen has been incredible,” Lee said. “How many weapons they have and how they are using them. It’s good for us because it stresses our system and we have to take them on every single day.”
There’s big time brotherly love between the two Cowboys though. Lee — who was drafted seven years after Witten — has called the future Hall of Fame tight end one of his football idols.
“Being here, you always admired him, the way he practiced and played. Last year we definitely missed him,” Lee said at OTAs. “He’s going to push you to the next level.”
GettyDallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten
It’s still unknown the extent that Witten will play this season for the Cowboys, especially after a year off. But first-year offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has liked what he’s seen so far, although he noted Witten likely won’t play 97 percent of the snaps like he did in the season before his hiatus.
“We feel great about where Whit is at,” Moore said last week “Naturally, he’s probably not going to play 97 percent, but once you get 100,000 in the crowd, Whit is probably going to want to play a whole lot.”
Witten has reportedly played most of his reps with the first team during practice, but in typical Witten fashion, he isn’t worrying about what is role will end up being in the scheme of things. He’s just putting his head down — talking trash — and getting to work.
“I can’t worry about how that plays out,” he said. “My job is make it tough on them. We all benefit if that’s the case.”
Cowboys minicamp continues through Thursday at The Star.
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Cowboys Sean Lee: Jason Witten a Hall of Fame Trash Talker