Jason Witten has decided to end his retirement and return to the Cowboys, according to a team press release. Witten walked away from the game last year to join ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast, but he has decided to put his broadcasting career on hold in order to resume his playing career. 
“The fire inside of me to compete and play this game is just burning too strong,” the 36-year-old (37 in May) said in a statement. “This team has a great group of rising young stars, and I want to help them make a run at a championship. This was completely my decision, and I am very comfortable with it. I’m looking forward to getting back in the dirt.”
With this news, Witten is now set to return for a 16th pro season. From 2003-17, Witten was among the best tight ends in the league and earned eleven Pro Bowl nominations, a Cowboys record for any offensive player.
The veteran will earn a base salary of $3.5MM with a maximum earning potential of $5MM for the coming year, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. Witten will make less than he has in previous seasons, but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes that this could be a bridge to a head coaching role for him.
Witten’s “unretirement” may drastically alter the Cowboys’ offseason plans. Previously, tight end was among the team’s biggest needs, but the Cowboys should be set with Witten, Blake Jarwin, Dalton Schultz, and Rico Gathers under contract. Geoff Swaim, an impending free agent, could also be re-signed to compete for a backup role.
By returning to the field, Witten leaves a void to fill in ESPN’s booth. That could help to explain the network’s interest in Greg Olsen, and the Panthers tight end could theoretically end his own career if offered one of the most prestigious jobs in sports television.
Witten has 1,152 career receptions to his credit, which ranks fourth in NFL history behind Jerry Rice, Tony Gonzalez, and Larry Fitzgerald. Meanwhile, his 12,448 receiving yards are good for second among all tight ends behind only Gonzalez (15,127).
It’s not April 1st yet
What? Witten just made my day!
Maybe Peyton Manning will come out of retirement and go back to the broncos that way they don’t have to throw money away on useless draft picks and free agents
You can’t throw insurance downfield!
As a Cowboys fan I cannot tell you just how unbelievable this news is. Jason in the locker room alone makes such a huge difference and now with Cooper on the team adding Jason as that safety valve along with Beasley could be what this team needs to get over the hump.
Beasley is a free agent though.
Whatever gets him out of the booth
Bingo bongo
He’s the opposite of Romo in the booth.
Came here to say this lol. He wasn’t ready for a booth job especially mnf
Correct sir.
Good. He looked so uncomfortable in the booth.
Good because he sucked in the booth
And you suck at commenting on this site…
You suck at telling people they suck on this site..
You suck at telling people who suck that they suck about sucking.
You both suck.
i just hope his new hair doesnt get sucked out of his helmet
Too much sucking going on around here.
Truth is,he sucked in the booth. And if you think otherwise,you suck
You guys are in the wrong article all the sucking went on in Krafts massage booth.
Remember him running down field against eagles with no helmet . What a stud . Welcome back.
Why did he even retire?! He could have helped us so much last year!!
WHAT?!
Not very good in the broadcast booth!
Just ruined the jersey you gave Ertz.
Hahaha!
In other news, Michael Irvin and Troy Aikman are also coming out of retirement for the Cowgirls.
Good one. Cowgirls. Brilliant
If they were in their mid thirties I’d welcome it.
Viewers of Monday Night Football are the big winners. He was the worst thing on MNF since Dennis Miller
Wow I had forgotten about the train wreck that was Dennis Miller. Putting him in the booth was a mistake from the get-go…that guy was hell bent on proving his intellectual superiority over the viewers every week
I liked Dennis Miller. Perhaps because my intellectual superiority is on par with his. Read some books KJ.
I liked Dennis and his intellectual superiority, too
Wow.
Check this guy for CTE, horrible decision.
Cowboys still need a QB to throw the ball.
Amen
Without doubt. Prescott has to go. That said, Witten will catch 100 check downs next year.
Prescott is an above average QB. He now has a decent amount of weapons with Cooper, Gallup, and Witten.
You too easily forget the Quincy Carters, Chad Hutchinson’s, Drew Henson’s, and Brandon Weedens of the past.
All the guy does is win games.
He does win a lot of games, and is a true leader, but he also wins ugly, and really lacks touch on his passes. That being said, in the fourth quarter, he is there.
I don’t think he’s excused to go home after Q3….. so of course he is “there” for the 4th Q. He wins by handing off to Zeke and not throwing to the other team. If that is what you mean by “wins ugly” I agree. However, he will soon be making $ similar to HOF caliber QB’s who win games by throwing for 4-5000 yards and 30-40 TDs a season. Can’t wait to see how it will turn out for Dallas.
One of the worst announcers ever!
Great news. Only two more to go in the booth and maybe MNF will be watchable again.
This resets the calendar on his HOF eligibility.