Jason Witten: Cowboys stars handling contract issues like pros
Jason Witten has been around the Dallas Cowboys longer than any player in the locker room.
The future Hall of Fame tight end knows what some of his young teammates such as Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper are going through. All three are at different stages of long-term contract negotiations while preparing for their fourth seasons (in the case of Prescott and Elliott) and second season (Cooper) with the team.
“This organization is extremely loyal to signing their own players. They believe in that,” Witten said. “I think when it all clears out that it will be the same thing. I think these players know that.”
Witten, who is back for his 16th season with Dallas after spending all of 2018 in the broadcast booth, is just glad to be “one of the guys.”
“I’m loving every second of it,” said Witten, who turned 37 earlier this month. But he also knows he can be a helpful, veteran ear for younger teammates. Whether that be football-related questions or contracts.
“I talk to those guys. This is an interesting time for them,” he said. “Those things get resolved because both sides want to be there.”
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said the business side of the game shouldn’t distract players from their day-to-day job.
“It’s always been a part of it,” Garrett said. “The best players I’ve been around, the best teams I’ve been around, they focus on what they need to do each day to become a better player and help us become a better team. Those guys take that same approach.”
Garrett called them great examples to the rest of the roster.
“I love how they’re handling it,” Witten said. “They’re here working and they’re not getting caught up in that. I don’t see that being any issue. As long as I’ve been in this organizations that’s never been an issue and I think those players know that.”
This story was originally published May 29, 2019 at 10:41 PM.
