In his infinite wisdom, Jason Witten decided to improve Monday Night Football by doing the only thing he thought he could do, and that was to unretire and return to the Dallas Cowboys. Can’t really argue with the fact that he was much better at being a tight end than talking about the sport that he’s playing 25+ years. And, the fact that he’s probably making just as much money this year as a player compared to what he was making in the booth coupled with the other fact that he can always go back to calling games when he truly hangs them up makes this move a smart one, for Jason Witten.
But, for the Cowboys, I just don’t think this is going to pay off the way they hope unless they’re really okay with a TE getting them around 350 yards or so. Maybe they’re bringing him in to be more of a locker room leader, or perhaps this is a way to get Witten in so that he can be more of a teacher to the younger guys that might parlay into being a coach for them in the near future. Hard to say, but wouldn’t isn’t hard for me to say is that Jason Witten will have very little impact on the Cowboys season from a production stand point. Sure, you could say that he’s also a really good blocker and that having Amari Cooper will open up the middle of the field for him. Go ahead and convince yourself that those those things will really occur.
Witten retired from Dallas in 2017 after putting up a 63 catch, 560 yard season. Not the worst season by a TE, but no where near a season that anyone could remember it. That Cowboy’s team went 9-7 and missed the playoffs. The rule of the NFC East went into motion this past year, and the Cowboys won their division.
When I think of Witten playing this year, I think of how Antonio Gates did this year. He wasn’t brought back by the Chargers and then Hunter Henry went down in the preseason and he got the call to come back. Gates’ numbers were a pedestrian 28 catches for 333 yards. That’s how I think Witten’s season will go and he has a worser QB throwing him the ball with an first time offensive coordinator.
I understand that Witten will go out this year and catch a few first downs, some which will be important by running the same route he’s been running his whole career, which is the 7-8 yard hook or comeback. Somehow, defenses haven’t been able to cover it Witten’s whole career and it’s one of the more infuriating thing I’ve had to watch as football fan. Just this guy who looks it pains him to move at a pace that my dad could run 20ft, turn around, and be wide open. It never made sense to me, and I’m pretty sure it never will. I don’t know if Witten was able to get open due to superior route running, being so slow that defenders took it for granted, or that defenses were just that stupid not cover him. Chances are, it was combination of all of them, thus is everything in life.
Regardless if I think that Jason Witten won’t make much of an impact this year, I’m all for him being able to comeback out of retirement and keep playing the game that I assume he loves. I hate it when people get all inside their feelings about seeing a player hold on to long and look like a shell of their former self. They want that player to retire from the game before they ruin any memories they have of that player when they were ripping it up. If a player wants to keep playing and a team is willing to keep playing, then play until you can’t or don’t want to anymore. If that means you’re playing when you’re 62 years old, then so be it.
Best to luck to Jason Witten this year. The guy is going to walk into Canton, with a very good chance of being a first ballot guy. But honestly, I want him to have around 350 yards this year because I want to be right about everything I said in this blog.
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