Background and career
Christopher Jason Witten (born May 6, 1982) is an American football coach and former player who is currently the tight ends coach for the Oklahoma Sooners. He played as a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily for the Dallas Cowboys. Witten played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and was selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2003 NFL draft. He ranks second in all-time career receptions by an NFL tight end, trailing Tony Gonzalez, and third in career receiving yards among NFL tight ends, behind Tony Gonzalez and Travis Kelce. Known for his toughness and reliability, Witten is widely regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time. Initially retiring in 2018, Witten became a color analyst for ESPN's Monday Night Football. After working as an ESPN color analyst for the 2018 season, he returned to the NFL for the 2019 season, reuniting with the Cowboys. Witten then joined the Las Vegas Raiders for the 2020 season. He afterward retired again but signed a one-day contract to retire as a member of the Cowboys.
Witten has one cousin, Triston Witten, a niece, Scarlet Witten, and two older brothers, Ryan and Shawn. All were raised in Washington, D.C., but attended Elizabethton High School in Elizabethton, Tennessee. Witten's father, Ed, a 6-foot-8-inch (2.03 m), 300 pounds (140 kg) mailman, became addicted to alcohol and drugs when Witten was six and became abusive toward Witten's mother, Kim, and Witten's older brothers. When Witten was 11, he moved to Elizabethton to live with his grandparents. His grandfather, Dave Rider, was the coach of the football team where Witten was a two-way player, playing linebacker and tight end. Witten became a three-year starter playing both linebacker and tight end, while helping his team reach the state semi-finals three times. As a senior linebacker, Witten finished the season with 163 tackles (registering a career school record 450), nine sacks, two interceptions, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two blocked kicks. That year, he received several accolades: All-American, All-State (also as a junior), USA Today Player of the Year for Tennessee, East Tennessee Player of the Year, Region Defensive Player of the Year and runner-up for the Mr. Football award. Witten had 26 receptions and 14 touchdowns on offense. He also played basketball, averaging 15 points and 12 rebounds per game.
In 2000, Witten accepted a scholarship to the University of Tennessee, with the promise from head coach Phillip Fulmer that he would be played at defensive end. Witten began his first year playing special teams and also saw time as a second-string defensive end. After injuries impacted the depth at the tight end position, he was moved to the offensive side midway through the season. Although Witten did not agree with the change and even considered transferring, he eventually came around and was used primarily as a blocker while he learned the position. Witten also started in his first two games. As a freshman, he appeared in 12 games and recorded one reception on the season, which went for 11 yards in a 70–3 blowout victory over Louisiana–Monroe.
Witten appeared in all 13 games as a sophomore, catching 28 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns. He scored his first collegiate touchdown in a 35–24 victory over Alabama in their annual rivalry game. Witten had 125 receiving yards and a touchdown in Tennessee's Citrus Bowl victory over Michigan. His performance in the 45–17 victory marked the third most receiving yards in a bowl game in Tennessee history.
As a junior, Witten had a breakout year, setting school records for a tight end in receptions (39) and receiving yards (493) with five touchdowns, including one of the most memorable receptions in school history, a game-winning touchdown in the sixth overtime against Arkansas. He received All-SEC (SEC) and Academic All-SEC honors after leading the conference's tight ends in receptions and receiving yards. Witten was also a semifinalist for the John Mackey Tight End Award. Even though Witten decided to enter the NFL draft after his junior season and had played the position in only 20 games, he left ranked third all-time among the school's tight ends with 68 career receptions and fourth all-time with 797 receiving yards.
Following the 2017 college football season, Witten's name was placed on a college football award. The Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award honors a player who shows strong leadership qualities on and off the field.
