Cowboys tight end Jason Witten has a new plan for his post-NFL career, and it doesn’t include a return to ESPN.
The 37-year-old said he “for sure” wants to get into coaching when he retires for the second time, and he wants to do it in the NFL.
“Right here,” Witten told reporters Thursday. “I’ve spent my entire adulthood in pro football. Coaching is coaching. You want to be in a competitive level. … For me, I think this is a level you can have a lot of success in just because you’re so familiar with it. Really your whole life.”
Witten returned to Dallas after floundering in his one year in the “Monday Night Football” booth, signing a one-year, $4.2 million contract with the Cowboys. He originally retired after the 2017 season, and his 16th season with the team has become a disappointing one.
He enters the Cowboys’ Week 17 matchup against the Redskins with 59 catches, 505 yards and four touchdowns. In order to win the NFC East and advance to the playoffs, Dallas needs to beat Washington, and the Eagles must lose to the Giants.
The 11-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All Pro did not say whether this might be the end for him once again.
“Now is not the time (to think about that),” Witten said. “There will be time to make that decision, but I do not envision this being my last game. … I haven’t approached it that way. We’ll see what happens down the road, but I’m not approaching it that way.”
There could be a lot of turnover for the Cowboys this offseason, with Jason Garrett on the hot seat and quarterback Dak Prescott an impending free agent. Witten didn’t want to say if he wanted to be the Cowboys’ head coach, though he did explain why he feels it’s a top-notch gig.
“How good of a job? Oh gosh,” Witten said. “You’re talking about the Dallas Cowboys. It’s a great job. This franchise, put it up against any franchise in all of sports. Head coach is the leader. He’s the guy that sets the tone for the whole organization as far as the structure of the football side of things.
“Not a better job out there than this job.”
Perhaps one day it’ll be his.