Cowboys at Redskins 12/7/15 (Wikipedia Commons. Author: Keith Allison)
Dallas Cowboys star Jason Witten may soon be changing careers from playing to working in broadcasting.
The veteran tight end, who will be 36 in May, announced Friday that he plans to retire after 15 seasons and potentially begin working for ESPN as an analyst for Monday Night Football games. The network was one of several media outlets that reported the news.
Witten currently leads the Cowboys in three categories: receptions (1,152), receiving yards (12,448) and games played (239). The 11-time Pro Bowler is also third in receiving touchdowns with 68.
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Even more impressively, Witten also trails just three players in NFL history for the most receptions: Jerry Rice, Tony Gonzalez and Larry Fitzgerald, according to ESPN.
Former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo also retired last year after a series of injuries to join CBS as a top analyst.
The Cowboys drafted Witten as a third-round pick out of Tennessee in 2003, the same year they signed Romo as an undrafted free agent.
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Among the other honors Witten has received throughout his career is the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which he earned in 2012 for his service to his community. One of the causes Witten’s foundation supports is women and families torn by domestic violence.
One of the veteran players who was most recently cut from Dallas’s roster is wide receiver Dez Bryant. The Cowboys released the 29-year-old, another of their top receivers, on April 13. The Cowboys took Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch as the 19th overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft on Thursday night.
Should Witten not return for the 2018 season, the Cowboys would be left with tight ends Geoff Swain, Rico Gathers and Blake Jarwin.
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