Jason Witten

Jason Witten: biography

Jason Witten, who was born on May 6, 1982, is a Washington-native footballer. He is best known for his time as a tight end for the Dallas Cowboys and other NFL teams. The Cowboys drafted him during an NFL draft in 2003. Jason is a strict Christian believer.

Childhood and youth

Jason came from an ordinary American family that lived in Washington, District of Columbia. His dad was a mailman and suffered from alcoholism, so he always abused family members. The young footballer lived with his brothers, Shawn and Rayan. When Jason was only 11, he started living with his grandparents in Tennessee. He studied at the public high school in Elizabethton. After graduating, he attended a college in Tennessee.

Football career

In his career as a professional footballer, Jason first became involved in 2000 after receiving a scholarship at the University of Tennessee. He then committed defensive end Phillip Fulmer, the team's head coach at the time. When he was the team's second player in the position of the financial end during his first year of education, he started playing for the university team. Jason occupies third place among the top university tight ends with 68 receptions and fourth place in the same ranking with receiving yards despite deciding to pursue the NFL draft following his junior season and only participating in 20 games at his position (797).

Dallas Cowboys

In 2003, Jason was selected by the Dallas Cowboys to participate in the third round of the NFL Draft under the 69th overall number. In 2004, he made another breakthrough, becoming one of the leading NFL quarterbacks with 87 interceptions; this result also became the 11th most in the history of the NFL at the tight end position, as well as the record holder for the Cowboys at this position. On April 26, 2018, it appeared that Whitten was going to retire. A week later, the footballer announced his retirement and confirmed that he would work on Monday Night Football in 2018.

Las Vegas Raiders

It was revealed that Jason had agreed to a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in March 2020. He scored his first touchdown as a Raider in Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills thanks to quarterback Derek Carr's three-yard reception. He broke the NFL's COVID-19 policies for the 2020 season by taking part in a charity event without masks during the COVID-19 epidemic, for which the NFL fined him $15,000 on October 5, 2020. The event was arranged by teammate Darren Waller. However, Jason once more declared his retirement from the NFL and his plan to sign a one-day deal to end his career with the Cowboys on January 27, 2021.

Personal life

Jason is a married man. Michelle, his wife, works as a nurse in a hospital. They have four children: Cooper, Hadley Grace, Landry, and one named C.J. Currently, Jason and his family reside in Westlake, which is located in Texas.

Records and achievements

Throughout his football career, Jason received the following honors:

• First-team All-Pro. In total, two times (in 2007 and 2010).
• Second-team All-Pro. In 2008 and 2012
• Pro Bowl (11 times: 2004–2010, 2012–2014, 2017)
• Walter Payton, NFL Man of the Year (2012)
• Bart Starr Award (2013)
• PFWA All-Rookie Team (2003)
• First-team All-SEC (2002)
• Texas Sports Hall of Fame (2019)

Speaking about his records, Jason received one for the most career NFL games by a tight end: 271.