Jason Witten could have taken some time to step back and breathe after wrapping up a Hall of Fame-caliber NFL career in 2020. The former Tennessee Vols great could have taken some time off and done other things outside of football. After 11 Pro Bowl nods and 2 All-Pro selections in 16 years with the Dallas Cowboys (and one more with the Las Vegas Raiders), it's safe to say he's earned it.
But that's not who Witten is. With football very much in his blood, Witten decided to stick with the sport that's been so good to him, and for which he's done more than plenty for himself. Except not at the level that he's known for the better part of the previous two decades.
Witten accepted the job of head football coach of Liberty Christian School in Argyle, TX on February 1, 2021, roughly two months after finishing his playing career with the Raiders. That's a job that, as Witten himself said, sometimes involves doing laundry, filling up water bottles, and shuffling pads to the practice field.
That's not something that football royalty might find appealing after getting pounded on by the best professional athletes in the world over 271 games, the most by a tight end in NFL history. But Witten has found solace in getting into the nitty gritty world of Texas high school football.
And he hasn't been too bad at it either. The Warriors sit at 12-0 and are set to appear in the state semifinals against All Saints in the TAPPS Division II state playoffs, having outscored their opponents by a ridiculous margin of 619-69 this season.
Quite the turnaround from a program that had managed a winning record only twice in the five years that preceded Witten's arrival.
And a large part of Witten's success this year has come from himself literally: his two sons. Junior CJ Witten leads the team in total tackles (64) tackles for loss (9) and sacks (5). Even his younger son Cooper is making an impact as a freshman, as he's totaled 53 tackles with 3 blocked field goals and 2 interceptions.
Witten was reportedly considering leaving at the end of 2022 to take the head coaching position at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville. Coming off a 2-8 to 10-2 turnaround from 2021 to 2022, it's understandable why Lipscomb was interested. However, Witten ultimately stayed at Liberty Christian, and Lipscomb moved on to hire Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae. Mawae was let go earlier this month for apparent recruiting violations.
Remaining in Texas has certainly worked out well for the entire Witten family this year. With his sons at his side and thriving, it seems that the former Monday Night Football broadcaster and NFL star has found his calling outside the limelight.
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