On February 28th, 2019, retired Dallas Cowboys tight end, Jason Witten, announced that he is unretiring, and he will play football once again for the Cowboys in the 2019/2020 season. He reportedly signed a $3.5 million for one-year deal with Dallas, and he can earn up to $5 million after roster bonuses and incentives. Jason is 36 years old, and he has had a very successful NFL career.
Career Highlights:
Witten has spent his entire 15-year playing career in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. He holds franchise records for receptions with 1,152 as well as receiving yards with 12,448. The physical tight end has the most games played (239), consecutive games (236), starts (229), and consecutive starts (179) in Cowboy’s history. He ranks 5th all time in receiving yards and 1st among tight ends for a player that has been with one team his entire career.
He is known as one of the best tight ends to ever play the game. He will noe doubt one day be a hall of famer once he is eligible to be voted in. Witten is an 11-time Pro Bowler (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017), was named twice to the NFL First Team All Pro (2007, 2010) and twice to the NFL Second Team All Pro (2008, 2012). He also had the prestigious honor of receiving the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2012 for his volunteer and charity work as well as his excellence on the field.
Leadership:
Not only will he help the Cowboys on the field, but he will be a major presence in the locker room too. As a captain for Dallas in past seasons and in the future, star young players, such as Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, will look to him as a leader who can teach them valuable lessons on and off the field. He has always been praised for his relentless work ethic, and hopefully that rubs off on younger players that don’t put in the hard work that is necessary to succeed in the NFL. He is also extremely competitive. In fact, that is the main reason he has decided to leave the Monday Night Football…
…broadcast booth to lace them up again. Since Witten announced his retirement from playing in the NFL after the 2017/2018 season, he has been an analyst on ESPN. Most notably as a broadcaster during Monday Night Football in which he struggled to get the hang of his new craft. It is said that he is still in great shape if not in football shape already. Known for his dedication to physical conditioning, there is no doubt in my mind that he will be ready to play by the time the 2019/2020 season begins.
Other NFL Athletes to Come out of Retirement:
Marshawn Lynch retired from the Seattle Seahawks in 2015 only to return to the running back position for the Oakland Raiders in 2017. After retiring in 2010, Randy Moss came back in 2012 to play for the San Francisco 49ers. Brett Favre did this twice playing for both the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings after his long tenure with the Green Bay Packers. After only 5 seasons in the NFL, Ricky Williams surprised us all by retiring only to come back and play again with the Miami Dolphins. Prime Time, Deion Sanders, returned to the game to join the Baltimore Ravens in 2004. One of the game’s all-time greats, Reggie White, joined the Carolina Panthers in 2000 after leaving the game in 1998.
Although most of these players did not make an enormous impact upon their unretirement, it was hard to deny them the ability to play the game they loved. Most of the players above are NFL Hall of Fame players, and they were accepted back with open arms. This is not as uncommon as people realize for athletes in all sports do this to fulfill their needs and wants.
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