After a season away, cobwebs are off, Jason Witten says. ‘I know that I am ready.’
After announcing his return to the team after a season away in the broadcast booth, Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten demurred when it came to his role on the team.
Before his exit after the 2017 season, Witten had already entrenched himself as a future Hall of Famer and Cowboys legend. During much of his 15 seasons, he was one of the clear leaders on the team.
Not only did Witten want to show respect for his teammates after sitting out a season, but he wanted to make sure his body was still able to perform up to his high standards, even at 37. So he said all of the right things, including accepting a potentially smaller role in the offense.
But with the season opener against the New York Giants at 3:25 p.m. Sunday, and another training camp behind him, Witten is no longer conceding anything.
“I feel better about that decision [to return] today than when I made it back in March,” he said. “I know that I’m ready. That’s where the excitement comes in, from me knowing that I can go out there and let it rip and find ways to beat the Giants. That’s what I’m here for.”
In fact, facing the division rival Giants is exactly the situation he missed last season.
“When I made the decision to come back, I was thinking about these moments,” said Witten, who spent the 2018 season as an analyst in ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth. “It’s hard watching the game when you still feel like you can give something, it’s hard watching your teammates go out there and play. But the opportunity presented itself and I’m thankful for that, and I feel like I have something to prove.’’
Witten proved to himself during training camp that he still has plenty in the tank. Now he wants to show the rest of the league.
“It’s a show-me game. I learned that a long time ago,” he said. “if you ever want to get humbled, line up in the NFL for one play and not be prepared mentally or physically. You never really know until you get in the trenches, but I’ve got a lot of confidence in the guys around me to go out there. I’m enjoying every day.”
He may be confident about his return, but Witten said he’ll embrace the same butterflies he’s always had before a game.
“If you don’t get nervous or don’t have a little bit of butterflies, you either don’t respect the game or the opportunity you have,” he said. “Of course, I’ll have them, this is the Giants and Cowboys. This is what you play for. And certainly when you’re 37 years old these are the moments you appreciate a little bit more.’’
Oh, and one more thing, Witten said: “I wouldn’t bet against us.’’
This story was originally published September 6, 2019 at 6:00 AM.
