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When Jason Witten entered the NFL 17 years ago as a third-round pick in Dallas, his famously blunt coach, Bill Parcells, delivered him a simple message.
He taught me early on, reliability, dependability, consistency, thats how you make it in this game, Witten said Wednesday. Those are traits that Ive kept near and dear to me for my entire career.
For nearly two decades that included a one-year interruption in the Monday Night Football announcing booth, Witten has taken that advice to heart.
The 38-year-old Witten has missed only one game in 17 seasons in the NFL and will break Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalezs record for tight ends with his 271st career game in Sundays season finale for the Las Vegas Raiders (7-8) against the Denver Broncos (5-10).
To have an opportunity like this, I think thats just the way I tried to play, Witten said. I think in this league, the minute you feel like youve arrived or you belong, youre going to get passed up. I think my advantage and kind of my edge for me was that every day of every moment, I never felt like this game owed me anything. I had to go earn it. Thats go out there and play. You hear people talk about it often. Its a show me game.
Witten has shown plenty in a career that featured 11 Pro Bowl berths, first-team All-Pro selections in 2007 and 2010, and some of the most prolific stats anyone has put up at the position.
He had eight seasons with at least 75 catches, four 1,000-yard campaigns and ranks second all-time at the position with 1,228 receptions and 13,046 yards, and is fifth with 74 TDs.
The Raiders signed him to a one-year deal for a veteran presence in the tight ends room and are pleased with what they got despite only 13 catches for 69 yards.
Hes been great for the tight ends, hes been great for me, hes been great for our offense, coach Jon Gruden said. Unfortunately, we have not been able to have a lot of team gatherings, team meals, team meetings because of the protocols and the quarantines and all that stuff. But hes had a real impact on our guys. … Hes one of the great war daddies of all-time and hes going to break Tony Gonzalezs record on Sunday, and its great to have been a small part of that.
Witten said he hasnt decided whether he wants to try to come back next season or retire for good. He stepped away once already after the 2017 season to replace Gruden as analyst on Monday Night Football for ESPN.
That didnt go well and Witten returned to the Cowboys in 2019 before signing with the Raiders this past offseason. Gruden said he believes Witten could follow his path again and get into coaching if he wanted.
I think hed be a great coach, Gruden said. I think after seeing what we went through this year, Id say hell no, I think hes going to get back into TV or go do something else. But yeah, I think hed be a stellar coach. I think hed be a Tom Landry, a Bill Cowher. I think hes got very good football intellect, hes got great motivational skills, hes an excellent communicator and he loves the game.
NOTES: DE Clelin Ferrell (shoulder) was placed on IR. … DE Takk McKinley, who was claimed off waivers in November, wont play this season for the Raiders. He went on IR with a groin injury as soon as he arrived and hasnt recovered. … S Jeff Heath (concussion) was activated from IR and DB Daryl Worley was activated from the COVID-19
list. … RB Jalen Richard was placed on the COVID-19 list. … T Trent Brown (knee), G Denzelle Good (ankle), DT Maurice Hurst (calf) and DB Lamarcus Joyner (thigh) did not practice.
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