Jason Witten: The Final Tally

OmerV

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Pretty funny argument on Undisputed that Witten was just a guy. Sharpe ignores everything but pass catching and playoff wins. Says Witten not a top 5 in his own era. Graham is a much better TE. Even though Witten has twice as many yards. He didn't will his team to playoff wins. Then he goes into his own SB wins and I couldn't listen to anymore.

Of course, he ignores Gonzalez's playoff record. He was number 1.

Sharpe stupidly doesn't seem to understand people get into the HOF for different reasons. Some put up tremendous numbers for a portion of their career, and then limp the rest of the way. Others have average numbers, but have the rings and some high profile plays that stick in voters minds. And some, like Witten, just stick to a high standard year after year after year after year.

Sure he has dropped off some the last few years, but for his career he averaged 830 yards per season, and that includes these last 2 drop off years, and a rookie season where he wasn't even the starter. Take out those seasons and for 12 years he averaged 906 yards per season. That's pretty impressive for any TE - actually for any receiver at all. Add to it that he did a lot more work in the trenches than most TE's of today, and it becomes even more impressive.

By the way, Shannon Sharpe and his oversized mouth and painful to listen to stupidity on TV, averaged 112 yards per season less than Witten did, and he rarely had the burden of having to block anyone in the trenches.

As for Sharpe saying Witten isn't even the top TE in his era and that Jimmy Graham is much better, that's a stupid comment for 2 reasons. First, is that it's stupid to suggest only the very best TE (or any position) is the only one that can be considered elite. Second is that Witten was in his 8th season before Graham even entered the NFL, so while their eras overlap, they aren't the same. Third, while Graham has had a great career so far, he is still 5,648 yards short of Witten's yardage total. The HOF is a career achievement, so it's premature to compare careers. But even if Grahams career surpasses Witten's, that doesn't somehow mean Witten wasn't a great one.
 

CowboyStar88

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Hos! Man great post!

This is the type of stuff this board is missing, and once again Hostile delivered.
 

RoboQB

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An amazing career for an amazing man. For some the play that will stand out to them is running down the field with no helmet on, gaining every last yard he could. For me there will be two things that stand out. The first will be him having his jaw broken, missing only one game and playing with his jaw wired shut. He lost so much weight that Parcells told him to eat baby food to maintain his weight, and threatened to bench him until he put weight back on if he fell under a certain point. Jason stuffed rolls of quarters into his sweat pants so that he did not fall under the weight they demanded. He played through it, missing only one game in his magnificent career.

The other will be the time his estranged father, a menacing figure of 6'8" height, came to watch Jason train and Jason completely ignored the fact that his father was even there. His father denies ever being abusive to his wife, Jason's mother, or their three kids. It is an offense worse than the actual abuse to Jason. The man he reveres most in his life is not his father, but his maternal Grandfather, the man who took his daughter and three grandsons in, and who was a legendary Tennessee High School football coach who shaped this man's awesome career and made him understand that he could have an impact in this world. Wow what an impact he has had.

Jason Witten holds the record for most games played as a Dallas Cowboy. He came very close to having played in more games than any player who ever suited up for Dallas. Jason stands at 239 games played. The only men in NFL History to ever play more and at one time be a Dallas Cowboy, are Ray Donaldson at 244 games played, and Eddie Murray at 250 games played.

He holds the record for most consecutive games played in NFL History as a TE with 229. I seriously doubt it will ever be touched in my lifetime.

He holds the record for most consecutive starts by a TE with 179. That record would have been even higher (229) except for a bone headed move to start a 3rd WR one game. He was in the very next play, but the string of consecutive starts was broken.

He retires from the Dallas Cowboys as the all time leader in receptions for his career with 1152 of them. Good for 4th place all time in NFL History, 2nd most ever for a TE behind Tony Gonzalez, who was a WR/TE hybrid and never was the blocker Jason was. In my not so humble opinion, Jason Witten is the greatest pure TE to ever lace up cleats and strap on a helmet. We will never see one greater, and certainly not with the abundance of character he possesses. To put into persecptive his career as a Dallas Cowboy, he is 402 catches ahead of 2nd place all time, the Playermaker, Michael Irvin. If you put Michael Irvin (750) together with Bob Hayes (365) you have two Hall of Famers who combined are 37 receptions short of his career mark. I don't want anyone to misunderstand my point there. I am not marginalizing them in any way. Hayes was a different era. However, their combined 22 years as Dallas Cowboys fall short of his 15 year career as far as receptions go. His consistent production was simply amazing.

He finishes as the all time Cowboys leader in receiving yards, though not too far ahead of Michael Irvin. He is 21st in NFL History and would have undoubtedly this year moved past Art Monk, Irving Fryar, Steve Largent, and possibly Andre Reed. That is 3 Hall of Fame WRs. We all know WRs can put up more yards than TEs can by virtue of consistency of depth in routes each run.

He holds the NFL record for most catches by a TE in a single season with 110. 8 more than the previous record of 102 by the aforementioned Tony Gonzalez. Had Jason kept going for as long as Tony did, in other words two more seasons, it is plausible he might have eclipsed a few more of Tony's numbers.

He holds the record for the most catches in a game by a TE with 18.

He goes out as the 3rd leading TD receiver in Cowboys History behind Dez and Bob Hayes.

He leaves us with 11 Pro Bowl appearances in his 15 years. Tied for most in Cowboys History with the Great Bob "Mr. Cowboy" Lilly, and one ahead of Larry Allen, who did add an 11th honor, but with some other team.

Finally he leaves us with a leadership void in the locker room that will force other players to stand up and take over. A couple of years ago, professional wrestler Sting, did a spoof video where he was hired as an intimidation coach for his favorite team, the Cowboys. Players put on scary face paint. The video ended as Jason Witten walked past Sting to the practice field with no face paint on and Sting asked him why he was not getting in step with the intimidation policies. He reached over, got some black paint from Sting's face, put on his signature eye black lines on his cheek, and said, "We good?"

Yeah Jason, we good. Thank you. It has truly been an honor sir.

Nice write-up. I especially enjoyed the way you ended it. That was some good stuff. Thanks!
 

Buzzbait

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Jason Witten has always been a class act guy both on and off the field, and he always will be. He'll be missed.
 
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Pantone282C

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Sharpe stupidly doesn't seem to understand people get into the HOF for different reasons. Some put up tremendous numbers for a portion of their career, and then limp the rest of the way. Others have average numbers, but have the rings and some high profile plays that stick in voters minds. And some, like Witten, just stick to a high standard year after year after year after year.

Sure he has dropped off some the last few years, but for his career he averaged 830 yards per season, and that includes these last 2 drop off years, and a rookie season where he wasn't even the starter. Take out those seasons and for 12 years he averaged 906 yards per season. That's pretty impressive for any TE - actually for any receiver at all. Add to it that he did a lot more work in the trenches than most TE's of today, and it becomes even more impressive.

By the way, Shannon Sharpe and his oversized mouth and painful to listen to stupidity on TV, averaged 112 yards per season less than Witten did, and he rarely had the burden of having to block anyone in the trenches.

As for Sharpe saying Witten isn't even the top TE in his era and that Jimmy Graham is much better, that's a stupid comment for 2 reasons. First, is that it's stupid to suggest only the very best TE (or any position) is the only one that can be considered elite. Second is that Witten was in his 8th season before Graham even entered the NFL, so while their eras overlap, they aren't the same. Third, while Graham has had a great career so far, he is still 5,648 yards short of Witten's yardage total. The HOF is a career achievement, so it's premature to compare careers. But even if Grahams career surpasses Witten's, that doesn't somehow mean Witten wasn't a great one.
Sharpe has learned the method of shooting one's mouth off in order to hear his own voice and to appear to be artfully intelligent.
 

jesusdlg

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As always, great post by Hostile. Thank you!

An amazing career for an amazing man. For some the play that will stand out to them is running down the field with no helmet on, gaining every last yard he could. For me there will be two things that stand out. The first will be him having his jaw broken, missing only one game and playing with his jaw wired shut. He lost so much weight that Parcells told him to eat baby food to maintain his weight, and threatened to bench him until he put weight back on if he fell under a certain point. Jason stuffed rolls of quarters into his sweat pants so that he did not fall under the weight they demanded. He played through it, missing only one game in his magnificent career.

The other will be the time his estranged father, a menacing figure of 6'8" height, came to watch Jason train and Jason completely ignored the fact that his father was even there. His father denies ever being abusive to his wife, Jason's mother, or their three kids. It is an offense worse than the actual abuse to Jason. The man he reveres most in his life is not his father, but his maternal Grandfather, the man who took his daughter and three grandsons in, and who was a legendary Tennessee High School football coach who shaped this man's awesome career and made him understand that he could have an impact in this world. Wow what an impact he has had.

Jason Witten holds the record for most games played as a Dallas Cowboy. He came very close to having played in more games than any player who ever suited up for Dallas. Jason stands at 239 games played. The only men in NFL History to ever play more and at one time be a Dallas Cowboy, are Ray Donaldson at 244 games played, and Eddie Murray at 250 games played.

He holds the record for most consecutive games played in NFL History as a TE with 229. I seriously doubt it will ever be touched in my lifetime.

He holds the record for most consecutive starts by a TE with 179. That record would have been even higher (229) except for a bone headed move to start a 3rd WR one game. He was in the very next play, but the string of consecutive starts was broken.

He retires from the Dallas Cowboys as the all time leader in receptions for his career with 1152 of them. Good for 4th place all time in NFL History, 2nd most ever for a TE behind Tony Gonzalez, who was a WR/TE hybrid and never was the blocker Jason was. In my not so humble opinion, Jason Witten is the greatest pure TE to ever lace up cleats and strap on a helmet. We will never see one greater, and certainly not with the abundance of character he possesses. To put into persecptive his career as a Dallas Cowboy, he is 402 catches ahead of 2nd place all time, the Playermaker, Michael Irvin. If you put Michael Irvin (750) together with Bob Hayes (365) you have two Hall of Famers who combined are 37 receptions short of his career mark. I don't want anyone to misunderstand my point there. I am not marginalizing them in any way. Hayes was a different era. However, their combined 22 years as Dallas Cowboys fall short of his 15 year career as far as receptions go. His consistent production was simply amazing.

He finishes as the all time Cowboys leader in receiving yards, though not too far ahead of Michael Irvin. He is 21st in NFL History and would have undoubtedly this year moved past Art Monk, Irving Fryar, Steve Largent, and possibly Andre Reed. That is 3 Hall of Fame WRs. We all know WRs can put up more yards than TEs can by virtue of consistency of depth in routes each run.

He holds the NFL record for most catches by a TE in a single season with 110. 8 more than the previous record of 102 by the aforementioned Tony Gonzalez. Had Jason kept going for as long as Tony did, in other words two more seasons, it is plausible he might have eclipsed a few more of Tony's numbers.

He holds the record for the most catches in a game by a TE with 18.

He goes out as the 3rd leading TD receiver in Cowboys History behind Dez and Bob Hayes.

He leaves us with 11 Pro Bowl appearances in his 15 years. Tied for most in Cowboys History with the Great Bob "Mr. Cowboy" Lilly, and one ahead of Larry Allen, who did add an 11th honor, but with some other team.

Finally he leaves us with a leadership void in the locker room that will force other players to stand up and take over. A couple of years ago, professional wrestler Sting, did a spoof video where he was hired as an intimidation coach for his favorite team, the Cowboys. Players put on scary face paint. The video ended as Jason Witten walked past Sting to the practice field with no face paint on and Sting asked him why he was not getting in step with the intimidation policies. He reached over, got some black paint from Sting's face, put on his signature eye black lines on his cheek, and said, "We good?"

Yeah Jason, we good. Thank you. It has truly been an honor sir.
 

OmerV

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Sharpe has learned the method of shooting one's mouth off in order to hear his own voice and to appear to be artfully intelligent.

I can't even bring myself to watch Sharpe and Skippy. Either is annoying as hell separately, much less together. Sharpe is now trying to match Skippy stupid comment for stupid comment.
 

Hostile

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In 58 seasons 16 different mean have worn the jersey. I have a feeling no man ever will again in a regular season game in Dallas.

It started out pretty prestigious. From 1960 to 1967 End Frank Clarke wore #82 proudly as he became the first truly prolific WR in Cowboys History. He was unprotected by the Cleveland Browns when the Dallas Cowboys were awarded to Clint Murchison Jr. and Bedford Wynn after the 1960 NFL Draft had already been held. The Minnesota Vikings would be joining the NFL in 1961, but there had been a new competing football league, the AFL launched in 1960 with a team for Dallas awarded to Lamar Hunt. Clint Murchison Jr. had long been trying to locate an NFL team in Dallas and he argued that starting a year later would hurt his chances of success. The NFL agreed and in order to build the genesis Dallas Cowboys team the other existing 12 NFL teams were allowed to "freeze" 25 players. Dallas could not touch those. Then 3 players were allowed to be taken from each of the other 12 teams and they would become Dallas Cowboys. In other words, the NFL gave Tom Landry and Tex Schramm the dregs of the other teams to build with for their first year. Oh, and get this, they had 24 hours to make their choices.

Well, Clarke was one of those choices and it turned out to be a truly great one. In his 8 years in Dallas he racked up 281 catches for 5214 yards and 50 TDs. Number 82 was off to a great start.

Then it sort of fell on hard times. Clark retired after the 67 season, and no one used 82 until a one year WR in 1973. After him came a DB in 1976, yes a DB, named Beasley Reece, used it for just that one year. He went on to have a fair career for the Giants after his one year in Dallas and he switched his luck by flipping the number from 82 to 28.

Then there was a bit of a drought. Seven years passed until a TE named Cleo Simmons wore it in 1983. Mike Renfro gave it a 2nd life from 9184 to 1987. After Renfro it again became a hard luck number in Dallas.

A series of WRs wore it starting with Cornell Burbage in 1988 and 1989. Two of Dallas' worst seasons ever as they won only 4 games over the two years. Then there was Derrick Shepperd in 1991. Then fortune hit us again in 1992 as WR Jimmy Smith wore it. Oh, I should have mentioned it was bad fortune. Jimmy broke his leg, and went on to have a stellar career...in Jacksonville. The run of WRs ended in 1994-1995 with Cory Fleming.

Then former first round pick Johnny Mitchell wore it briefly in 1996. Johnny is remembered mostly as the TE Jets fans freaked out over when the Jets reached for him, not for his time in Dallas.

Then there was another run on WRs, Jeff Ogden in 1998, Chris Brazzell in 1999 for a few games and then he was gone and Alvin Harper of back to back Super Bowl days wore it for 2 forgettable games. Finally James McKnight ended the WR run in the jersey in 2000.

In 2002 it landed on a TE named Tony McGee. He was a Free Agent from the Bengals. In 2003 he was still wearing it in Training Camp, that is why Jason Witten wore Tom Landry's number, #49.

DcTV12DV4AAm78T.jpg:large


But he relinquished the 82 jersey to Jason Witten, and the rest, as they say...is History. And now, so is he.
 

Pantone282C

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I can't even bring myself to watch Sharpe and Skippy. Either is annoying as hell separately, much less together. Sharpe is now trying to match Skippy stupid comment for stupid comment.
Great players don't always make good talking heads,
 

CCBoy

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I'd say that this Cowboy learned how to ride his horse, well...and will be lovingly remembered for knowing his job, with impeccable pride.

It will be great seeing him in the Hall...
 

Hostile

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Last thing, I promise.

I did this for Emmitt Smith when he retired.

Jason Witten, 69th player taken in the 2003 Draft, 4th TE taken of 13 total, 1152 receptions, 12,446 yards, 68 TDs, 11 Pro Bowls.



Dallas Clark, 24th, 1st TE, 505 receptions, 5655, 53, 1.

Ben Joppru, 41st, 2nd, 0, 0, 0, 0.

L.J. Smith, 61st, 3rd, 233, 2556, 18, 0.

Mike Seidman, 76th, 5th, 18, 158, 2, 0.

Visanthe Shiancoe, 91st, 6th, 245, 2679, 27, 0

George Wrighster, 104th, 7th, 94, 850, 9, 0.

Dan Curley, 148th, 8th, 0, 0, 0, 0.

Donald Lee, 155th, 9th, 209, 1990, 19, 0.

Aaron Walker, 161st, 10th, 25, 312, 1, 0.

Trent Smith, 223, 11th, 3, 7, 0, 0.

Spencer Nead, 234th, 12th, 0, 0, 0, 0.

Richard Angulo, 254th, 13th, 17, 155, 1, 0.

The 2003 TE's field is boosted incredibly by Peyton Manning. Still...

1332 receptions

14,355 yards

130 TDs

1 Pro Bowl


If you add Jason Witten's numbers to the tally then divide his production from the entire class this is what you get.

Jason Witten had 46% of all receptions by the 2003 TE class.

Jason Witten had 46% of the receiving yards by the 2003 TE class.

Jaosn Witten had 34% of the TDs by the 2003 TE class.

Jason Witten had 92% of the Pro Bowl seasons by the 2003 TE class.
 

OmerV

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Last thing, I promise.

I did this for Emmitt Smith when he retired.

Jason Witten, 69th player taken in the 2003 Draft, 4th TE taken of 13 total, 1152 receptions, 12,446 yards, 68 TDs, 11 Pro Bowls.



Dallas Clark, 24th, 1st TE, 505 receptions, 5655, 53, 1.

Ben Joppru, 41st, 2nd, 0, 0, 0, 0.

L.J. Smith, 61st, 3rd, 233, 2556, 18, 0.

Mike Seidman, 76th, 5th, 18, 158, 2, 0.

Visanthe Shiancoe, 91st, 6th, 245, 2679, 27, 0

George Wrighster, 104th, 7th, 94, 850, 9, 0.

Dan Curley, 148th, 8th, 0, 0, 0, 0.

Donald Lee, 155th, 9th, 209, 1990, 19, 0.

Aaron Walker, 161st, 10th, 25, 312, 1, 0.

Trent Smith, 223, 11th, 3, 7, 0, 0.

Spencer Nead, 234th, 12th, 0, 0, 0, 0.

Richard Angulo, 254th, 13th, 17, 155, 1, 0.

The 2003 TE's field is boosted incredibly by Peyton Manning. Still...

1332 receptions

14,355 yards

130 TDs

1 Pro Bowl


If you add Jason Witten's numbers to the tally then divide his production from the entire class this is what you get.

Jason Witten had 46% of all receptions by the 2003 TE class.

Jason Witten had 46% of the receiving yards by the 2003 TE class.

Jaosn Witten had 34% of the TDs by the 2003 TE class.

Jason Witten had 92% of the Pro Bowl seasons by the 2003 TE class.

Interesting perspective. I’ve never seen anyone look at a player’s career and impact like this. Thanks for providing.
 

john van brocklin

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An amazing career for an amazing man. For some the play that will stand out to them is running down the field with no helmet on, gaining every last yard he could. For me there will be two things that stand out. The first will be him having his jaw broken, missing only one game and playing with his jaw wired shut. He lost so much weight that Parcells told him to eat baby food to maintain his weight, and threatened to bench him until he put weight back on if he fell under a certain point. Jason stuffed rolls of quarters into his sweat pants so that he did not fall under the weight they demanded. He played through it, missing only one game in his magnificent career.

The other will be the time his estranged father, a menacing figure of 6'8" height, came to watch Jason train and Jason completely ignored the fact that his father was even there. His father denies ever being abusive to his wife, Jason's mother, or their three kids. It is an offense worse than the actual abuse to Jason. The man he reveres most in his life is not his father, but his maternal Grandfather, the man who took his daughter and three grandsons in, and who was a legendary Tennessee High School football coach who shaped this man's awesome career and made him understand that he could have an impact in this world. Wow what an impact he has had.

Jason Witten holds the record for most games played as a Dallas Cowboy. He came very close to having played in more games than any player who ever suited up for Dallas. Jason stands at 239 games played. The only men in NFL History to ever play more and at one time be a Dallas Cowboy, are Ray Donaldson at 244 games played, and Eddie Murray at 250 games played.

He holds the record for most consecutive games played in NFL History as a TE with 229. I seriously doubt it will ever be touched in my lifetime.

He holds the record for most consecutive starts by a TE with 179. That record would have been even higher (229) except for a bone headed move to start a 3rd WR one game. He was in the very next play, but the string of consecutive starts was broken.

He retires from the Dallas Cowboys as the all time leader in receptions for his career with 1152 of them. Good for 4th place all time in NFL History, 2nd most ever for a TE behind Tony Gonzalez, who was a WR/TE hybrid and never was the blocker Jason was. In my not so humble opinion, Jason Witten is the greatest pure TE to ever lace up cleats and strap on a helmet. We will never see one greater, and certainly not with the abundance of character he possesses. To put into persecptive his career as a Dallas Cowboy, he is 402 catches ahead of 2nd place all time, the Playermaker, Michael Irvin. If you put Michael Irvin (750) together with Bob Hayes (365) you have two Hall of Famers who combined are 37 receptions short of his career mark. I don't want anyone to misunderstand my point there. I am not marginalizing them in any way. Hayes was a different era. However, their combined 22 years as Dallas Cowboys fall short of his 15 year career as far as receptions go. His consistent production was simply amazing.

He finishes as the all time Cowboys leader in receiving yards, though not too far ahead of Michael Irvin. He is 21st in NFL History and would have undoubtedly this year moved past Art Monk, Irving Fryar, Steve Largent, and possibly Andre Reed. That is 3 Hall of Fame WRs. We all know WRs can put up more yards than TEs can by virtue of consistency of depth in routes each run.

He holds the NFL record for most catches by a TE in a single season with 110. 8 more than the previous record of 102 by the aforementioned Tony Gonzalez. Had Jason kept going for as long as Tony did, in other words two more seasons, it is plausible he might have eclipsed a few more of Tony's numbers.

He holds the record for the most catches in a game by a TE with 18.

He goes out as the 3rd leading TD receiver in Cowboys History behind Dez and Bob Hayes.

He leaves us with 11 Pro Bowl appearances in his 15 years. Tied for most in Cowboys History with the Great Bob "Mr. Cowboy" Lilly, and one ahead of Larry Allen, who did add an 11th honor, but with some other team.

Finally he leaves us with a leadership void in the locker room that will force other players to stand up and take over. A couple of years ago, professional wrestler Sting, did a spoof video where he was hired as an intimidation coach for his favorite team, the Cowboys. Players put on scary face paint. The video ended as Jason Witten walked past Sting to the practice field with no face paint on and Sting asked him why he was not getting in step with the intimidation policies. He reached over, got some black paint from Sting's face, put on his signature eye black lines on his cheek, and said, "We good?"

Yeah Jason, we good. Thank you. It has truly been an honor sir.
Well said!
 
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