Jason Witten
Encyclopedia
Christopher Jason Witten (born May 6, 1982) is an American football
tight end
who plays for the Dallas Cowboys
of the National Football League
. He played college football
at the University of Tennessee
.
In his first of three years at the University of Tennessee, Witten went from being a defensive end prospect to a record breaking tight end. He posted school records for most receptions (39) and receiving yards (493)
, Witten had 87 catches, eleventh most in history by a tight end and a Cowboys team record for the position, and was selected to the Pro Bowl
. Witten was also named to his second and third Pro Bowls for his performance in the 2005 and 2006 regular seasons. He was named as an injury replacement for New York Giants
tight end Jeremy Shockey
for the 2007 Pro Bowl
. Witten was named a starter for the 2008 Pro Bowl.
, Witten became just the tenth tight end in NFL history to post three consecutive seasons with at least 60 receptions. Witten was named to his third Pro Bowl for his performance in the 2006 season.
On July 22, 2006 Witten signed a six-year, $29 million contract extension through 2012. The deal contains $12 million guaranteed, including a $6 million signing bonus and a $6 million option bonus in the second year.
. He set the Cowboys single-season tight end record for receptions in a season with 96, while also becoming only the third tight end in NFL history with 96 or more catches. On December 9, 2007, versus the Detroit Lions
, Jason Witten's 15 receptions tied an NFL record held by Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow Sr.
, for most receptions in a game by a tight end in NFL history. In the 14th game of the year, Witten became the first Dallas tight end ever to gain over 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Witten was also one of the NFL-record 13 Cowboys players selected to the Pro Bowl. Additionally, he made the 2007 All-Pro team along with teammates Terrell Owens
and DeMarcus Ware
. In the Week 9 game on November 4, while playing at Philadelphia, he made a 53-yard reception after losing his helmet.
Witten was nominated for the 2007 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
, which was won by Jason Taylor
.
on November 27, 2008.
Witten was named a starter for the 2008 Pro Bowl.
season, making 94 receptions for 1,030 yards, and 2 touchdowns. He was also given the NFL Iron Man award.
. He was forced to miss the rest of the game with a concussion.
In a Week 15 game against the Washington Redskins, Witten became the fastest Tight End to make 600 reception (125 games). He accomplished this with a 10 catch, 140 yard, 1 touchdown day at home. He received his 7th consecutive Pro-Bowl selection when he was named as the starting Tight End for the NFC.
At the conclusion of the 2010 season, Jason Witten was named Tight End of the Year by the NFL Alumni Association
.
as the tight end with the third most receptions in NFL history with 663.
, located in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex
, with his wife, Michelle, an Emergency Room Nurse at Dallas' Parkland Memorial Hospital
, and their sons, C. J. and Cooper.
He recently launched the Jason Witten SCORE Foundation, established in part to provide support and assistance for families and individuals affected by domestic violence
. Witten appeared in an NFL/United Way public-service announcement (PSA), stressing the importance of volunteering. The spot was filmed at Witten's annual free football camp in his hometown of Elizabethton, Tennessee
, where more than 1,000 children attended in 2007. Witten also appears in a video on I Am Second
in which he talks about his Christian faith.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
who plays for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
.
In his first of three years at the University of Tennessee, Witten went from being a defensive end prospect to a record breaking tight end. He posted school records for most receptions (39) and receiving yards (493)
2004
In 20042004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
, Witten had 87 catches, eleventh most in history by a tight end and a Cowboys team record for the position, and was selected to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
. Witten was also named to his second and third Pro Bowls for his performance in the 2005 and 2006 regular seasons. He was named as an injury replacement for New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
tight end Jeremy Shockey
Jeremy Shockey
Jeremy Charles Shockey is an American football tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants 14th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
for the 2007 Pro Bowl
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
. Witten was named a starter for the 2008 Pro Bowl.
2006
At the end of the 2006 NFL season2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
, Witten became just the tenth tight end in NFL history to post three consecutive seasons with at least 60 receptions. Witten was named to his third Pro Bowl for his performance in the 2006 season.
On July 22, 2006 Witten signed a six-year, $29 million contract extension through 2012. The deal contains $12 million guaranteed, including a $6 million signing bonus and a $6 million option bonus in the second year.
2007
Witten had a career year during the 2007 NFL season2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
. He set the Cowboys single-season tight end record for receptions in a season with 96, while also becoming only the third tight end in NFL history with 96 or more catches. On December 9, 2007, versus the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, Jason Witten's 15 receptions tied an NFL record held by Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow Sr.
Kellen Winslow
Kellen Boswell Winslow is a former American football tight end with the Missouri Tigers and the San Diego Chargers. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the game. He is currently the athletic director at Central State University.Winslow did not play high...
, for most receptions in a game by a tight end in NFL history. In the 14th game of the year, Witten became the first Dallas tight end ever to gain over 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Witten was also one of the NFL-record 13 Cowboys players selected to the Pro Bowl. Additionally, he made the 2007 All-Pro team along with teammates Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
and DeMarcus Ware
Demarcus Ware
DeMarcus Ware is an American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was drafted with the 11th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft out of Troy University...
. In the Week 9 game on November 4, while playing at Philadelphia, he made a 53-yard reception after losing his helmet.
Witten was nominated for the 2007 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is given annually by the National Football League honoring a player's volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. Prior to 1999, it was called simply the NFL Man of the Year Award...
, which was won by Jason Taylor
Jason Taylor (American football)
Jason Paul Taylor is an American football linebacker who currently plays for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft...
.
2008
Witten made his 400th career reception in the Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day game against the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
on November 27, 2008.
Witten was named a starter for the 2008 Pro Bowl.
2009
Jason Witten had another Pro BowlPro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
season, making 94 receptions for 1,030 yards, and 2 touchdowns. He was also given the NFL Iron Man award.
2010
Witten banged his head on the turf after making a catch in Week 2 against the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was forced to miss the rest of the game with a concussion.
In a Week 15 game against the Washington Redskins, Witten became the fastest Tight End to make 600 reception (125 games). He accomplished this with a 10 catch, 140 yard, 1 touchdown day at home. He received his 7th consecutive Pro-Bowl selection when he was named as the starting Tight End for the NFC.
At the conclusion of the 2010 season, Jason Witten was named Tight End of the Year by the NFL Alumni Association
National Football League Alumni
The NFL Alumni is a 501 charity that is composed of former NFL players and associate members who work voluntarily to raise funds for youth-oriented causes and engage in hands-on service to foster the development of "youth through sports and sports through youth." The NFL Alumni advances its motto...
.
2011
On November 13, 2011, Witten surpassed Ozzie NewsomeOzzie Newsome
Ozzie Newsome Jr. and a 1974 graduate of Colbert County High School in Leighton, Alabama, is a former American football tight end for the Cleveland Browns, an inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the current General Manager of the Baltimore Ravens.-College career:Before his NFL career,...
as the tight end with the third most receptions in NFL history with 663.
Personal life
He resides in Southlake, TexasSouthlake, Texas
Southlake is a city in northeast Tarrant and southeast Denton counties, Texas. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 26,575. A suburb of Fort Worth and Dallas, Southlake is known for exemplary public schools, Southlake Town Square, and Carroll High School's 7-time state champion football...
, located in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
, with his wife, Michelle, an Emergency Room Nurse at Dallas' Parkland Memorial Hospital
Parkland Memorial Hospital
Parkland Memorial Hospital is a hospital located at 5201 Harry Hines Boulevard, just west of Oak Lawn in Dallas, Texas . It is the main hospital of the Dallas County Hospital District and serves as Dallas County's public hospital.- History :The original hospital opened in 1894 in a wooden...
, and their sons, C. J. and Cooper.
He recently launched the Jason Witten SCORE Foundation, established in part to provide support and assistance for families and individuals affected by domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
. Witten appeared in an NFL/United Way public-service announcement (PSA), stressing the importance of volunteering. The spot was filmed at Witten's annual free football camp in his hometown of Elizabethton, Tennessee
Elizabethton, Tennessee
Elizabethton is the county seat of Carter County, Tennessee, United States. Elizabethton is also the historical site both of the first independent American government located west of both the Eastern Continental Divide and the original thirteen British American colonies.Elizabethton is also the...
, where more than 1,000 children attended in 2007. Witten also appears in a video on I Am Second
I Am Second
I Am Second is an evangelical Christian multimedia movement and not-for-profit organization that is designed to inspire people to live for Jesus Christ and others...
in which he talks about his Christian faith.