Getty Jason Witten
Enjoy (or don’t) these next 60 minutes of Jason Witten in a Dallas Cowboys uniform, because they could be his last. Again.
“Sure, it’s a possibility,” Witten said Thursday, per ESPN.com. “I’m aware of that, but really, one of the things when I came back to play I was committed to going out there and playing every game and opportunity. So fortunate to do it. There will be time to make that decision, but I do not envision this being my last game.”
Notice the 37-year-old, who’s spent 43 percent of his mortal life as an NFL tight end, and 100 percent of his professional career with the Cowboys, didn’t specifically mention Dallas in his remarks. Sunday’s regular-season finale against Washington may well be his final as a star-clad member of Jerry Jones’ organization, not a part of the league as a whole.
Witten is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after signing a one-year, $4.25 million contract during the offseason, ending his retirement and brief (albeit mostly disastrous) stint as a commenter for Monday Night Football. He’ll be “pretty quick” about deciding his next chapter.
The return to Frisco hasn’t gone as Witten likely imagined. The 7-8 Cowboys, following a sizzling 3-0 start, are on the brink of elimination; a loss to the Redskins or an Eagles victory over the Giants would officially disappear their playoff chances.
Witten ranks third on the team in receiving with 59 catches for 505 yards and four touchdowns. The numbers appear decent on the surface, but they actually represent a downturn on his 2018 stats (63/560/5), which in itself was the second-lowest output of his career behind only his rookie season — in 2003.
Does he regret the comeback, though? Absolutely not.
“Look, it doesn’t always go where you’re going to get a 13-3 (record) and a (No. 1) seed and a bye and home playoff games throughout,” Witten said. “Sure, you think about playing in those games and that’s what drives you is winning championships. I knew for this to be successful, it’s kind of like a quarterback: you’ve got to win games. But I’m proud of the way I played and still have an opportunity in front of us. Yeah, 100 percent, I’ve got conviction (that) it was the right thing to do and proud of the way I’ve gone about it.”
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Coach Jason Witten?
There’s a growing belief that Witten could end his playing career but avoid the pitfalls of television analysis. Rather than jump inside the booth, he’d stick around on the sidelines, coaching the Cowboys’ (or another team’s) tight ends, working his up the assistant ladder.
For what it’s worth, owner and general manager Jerry Jones effusively endorsed Witten, and Cowboys veteran linebacker Sean Lee, as potential future coaches.
“Of all the network executives, commissioners, fellow owners, players, and coaches that I’ve met in the NFL, those two would probably be in my top five,” Jones said on Friday, via beat reporter Brianna Dix.
Crazily enough, multiple members of the local media have pegged Witten as a possible successor to current HC Jason Garrett, who’s likely to depart, barring a deep playoff run.
The Dallas Morning News’ Tim Cowlishaw was the first to connect the dots, touting Witten as a more viable candidate than current Oklahoma coach and perceived favorite Lincoln Riley, who’s reportedly drawn the eye of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
“I think that’s always a possibility,” Cowlishaw said in November on the Rich Eisen Show. “If Jerry truly believes all the players are in place, some of these assistants – maybe not the special teams coach today – some of these assistants are pretty good, but a different voice and a more fiery personality is what this team needs. I could see him doing that. I don’t think it’s the smartest thing in the world, but I know a lot of people who think it could happen.”
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL