Jason Witten has landed a high-profile coaching role, one that taps into his extensive knowledge base. The former Dallas Cowboys tight end is heading to the University of Oklahoma.
Videos by FanBuzz
According to a press release, Witten will join the Sooners as the tight ends coach. He will work directly under head coach Brett Venables while passing on everything he knows about playing a key role in the offensive gameplan.
This move marks another step up the coaching ranks for Witten. The former NFL tight end retired after the 2020 season and took over as head coach of Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas.
It was in this role that Witten led the team to back-to-back Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools state championships (2023-2024).
"I love football and I love teaching the game, and Oklahoma is as prestigious a college football program as there is in the country," Witten said in a press release. "So I'm thankful to Coach Venables for the opportunity to work together. It's been clear to me from the outset that he's one of the best leaders of men in football. And he has the pieces in place to compete for championships, so I'm excited to work under him and Coach (Ben) Arbuckle and with the rest of the staff. It's a tremendous opportunity and I'm proud to be a Sooner.
"I know what the expectations and standards of Oklahoma Football are and I'm excited to lean into and embrace those. But along the way, it's also a great privilege to positively impact young men - to help them become the best players they can be and the best men they can be.
"That's one of the things I respect the most about Coach Venables - that those things aren't mutually exclusive. You can take on the responsibility to lead men but also be highly competitive in your craft. I try to uphold those standards on and off the field. I'm excited to get in that tight ends room and work with OU's great staff and players."
A third-round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, Witten kicked off his professional career with the Dallas Cowboys. He became a starter early in his Texas tenure, and he contributed often while catching passes from a variety of quarterbacks. The list includes such names as Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde, Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo, and Dak Prescott.
Witten spent 16 years with the Cowboys (2003-2019) — he missed 2018 due to retirement — and caught 1,215 passes for 12,977 yards and 72 touchdowns. He earned 11 trips to the Pro Bowl and two All-Pro nods.
The veteran tight end spent the final season of his career (2020) with the Raiders. He caught 13 passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns before walking away from the NFL for good.
However, he did not leave football entirely. He moved to coaching and achieved success. Now, he will strive to continue this while moving to the University of Oklahoma.
