Jason Witten: 'I gave it my absolute all'

Jason Witten, who Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones likes to call "one of the five finest people I've ever met in football,'' is done with football as an active player, announcing his retirement on Wednesday after a season with the Raiders.

“A coach once told me, ‘The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example,’” Witten said, via ESPN. “As I hang it up, I walk away knowing that for 17 seasons I gave it my absolute all. I am proud of my accomplishments as a football player on the field and the example I tried to set off of it.''

The likely future Hall of Fame tight end is of course actually leaving football for a second time, as he retired in after the 2017 season but returned to the NFL in 2019 after a stint in with ESPN, re-signing with the Cowboys.

Witten, as is surely not only his wish but also the Jones family's, will sign a one-day Dallas contract to "retire as a Cowboy.''

At 38, Witten's role with the Raiders was truly to serve as a locker-room leader under coach Jon Gruden - and quite possibly to learn some of the coaching ropes from Gruden, who along with coaches Bill Parcells and Jason Garrett have been key mentors to him throughout a career that in the end allowed him to surpass 13,000 receiving yards for his career. joining Tony Gonzales as the only tight ends to do that.

Coaching, the University of Tennessee product said often during his latter days with the Cowboys, is his future plan.

"Football is a great game that has taught me many valuable lessons, and I look forward to passing on that knowledge to the next generation,'' Witten said.