Is/was there any good, practical reason for Witten to return to football?

Super_Kazuya · Jul 23, 2019

If Brees and Brady say bye bye at the end of the year, the only thing Witten may have accomplished is ending whatever 1st ballot HOF chance he had (admittedly he likely doesn’t care about that).

Verdict · Jul 23, 2019

CouchCoach said:
Can't argue that but with the playmaker talent on the offense now with Elliott, Cooper, Gallup, Cobb and the unknown effect of Pollard, how important is he to the offense? Does he need to be the Witten of 5 years ago or help with the line blocks more than anything else?

I didn't watch the TE's line blocking last year so I don't have an opinion on that but he should still be an adequate line blocker.

If this offense is relying on Witten too much for 1st downs, there are bigger problems than him coming back.

The worst thing that can happen, because he's a Booger and Garrett favorite, is that they dictate touches to the OC for him. And I am not saying that cannot happen. They did that with Bryant.

Why would you expect him to suddenly become a good blocker again when he has failed miserably at it in recent years?

staubach24 · Jul 23, 2019

He’ll provide leadership and is a great blocker and he has a phenomenal ability to find holes in the zone to move the chains on 3rd and short. And MNF ratings should improve.

gjkoeppen · Jul 23, 2019

bbailey423 said:
With all the speed Dallas has added at the WR position....and the speed they have at RB....Witten will be open a lot. But that is NOT a good thing. He has not been explosive in a LONG time...and it has only gotten worse. He will not get many yards of the catch and it will frustrate Cowboy fans to no end. But our ire will be directed at the wrong people. We should reserve our ire for the organization....for bringing him back...and for Dak NOT getting being confident enough to push the ball down the field or outside the hashes. Witten will be a safety net for Dak..and Dak will often take the easy way out and throw it to him....because he will be open. I think Witten's return is going to STUNT Daks growth. And of the numbers that I am hearing are true...in terms of the dollars Dak is asking for...you cannot ask for that kind of money and be a dink and dunk guy. Witten allows Dak to be a dink and dunk guy.

There may be some truth to that but it can also be looked at that throwing 7-8 yard passes to Witten keeps the chains moving using up the clock and between this and Elliott and an inpoved defense making harder on the opposition with less time and cracks on offense. Every QB has a favorite or safety blanket and Witten was and can be again.
.

Verdict · Jul 23, 2019

Diehardblues said:
Right. Witten might not be the answer but he could help us.

I’m not convinced. I think they will use him just like they did the last year he played and if so that’s an almost certain fail.

OmerV · Jul 23, 2019

bbailey423 said:
With all the speed Dallas has added at the WR position....and the speed they have at RB....Witten will be open a lot. But that is NOT a good thing. He has not been explosive in a LONG time...and it has only gotten worse. He will not get many yards of the catch and it will frustrate Cowboy fans to no end. But our ire will be directed at the wrong people. We should reserve our ire for the organization....for bringing him back...and for Dak NOT getting being confident enough to push the ball down the field or outside the hashes. Witten will be a safety net for Dak..and Dak will often take the easy way out and throw it to him....because he will be open. I think Witten's return is going to STUNT Daks growth. And of the numbers that I am hearing are true...in terms of the dollars Dak is asking for...you cannot ask for that kind of money and be a dink and dunk guy. Witten allows Dak to be a dink and dunk guy.

Every player doesn't have to be "explosive", and in fact many of the explosive one's are inconsistent. If the speed opens things up underneath for guys like Witten, I don't see how that is a bad thing. It's not like we can throw a long TD pass every play. The chains have to keep moving, and if the running game and underneath passing game can help do that, it will in turn will help open things up deep.

Verdict · Jul 23, 2019

staubach24 said:
He’ll provide leadership and is a great blocker and he has a phenomenal ability to find holes in the zone to move the chains on 3rd and short. And MNF ratings should improve.

He is a horrible blocker at this point in his career.

Diehardblues · Jul 23, 2019

Verdict said:
I’m not convinced. I think they will use him just like they did the last year he played and if so that’s an almost certain fail.

There’s no way knowing if it’s a certain fail. What we do know is our Redzone offense and 3rd down conversions were higher with Witten and Dez as well.

Curious how you'd rate our TE production last year without Witten?

RoboQB · Jul 23, 2019

Corso said:
I actually enjoyed him as a broadcaster more than Romo...
I always thought of him as the modern day Yogi Berra.

I wish they would have given him a few more years for people to get on the Yogi train.
Alas, t'was not to be.

He came to a fork in the road. So, he took it... lol.

I love the Yogi quotes.

McKDaddy · Jul 23, 2019

I said it as soon as it was announced & I still believe that it was primarily to save face.

I have no doubt that part of him wanted to return (especially as the playoffs rolled around last year) but I also have little doubt that were he getting just average reviews as an announcer he would have remained in the booth.

Sometimes its time for heroes to ride off into the sunset rather than try desperately to hang on to the limelight.

RoboQB · Jul 23, 2019

McKDaddy said:
I said it as soon as it was announced & I still believe that it was primarily to save face.

I have no doubt that part of him wanted to return (especially as the playoffs rolled around last year) but I also have little doubt that were he getting just average reviews as an announcer he would have remained in the booth.

Sometimes its time for heroes to ride off into the sunset rather than try desperately to hang on to the limelight.

While we're piling on with criticism of his broadcasting, let's not forget that the Cowboys
asked Witten to return during the back half of last season.

Also, I swear, he mentioned he was interested in coaching.
My hope was/is that he becomes somewhat of a player-coach.
I expect him to contribute this year. Hopefully, he stays down around 70%
of plays or less.

McKDaddy · Jul 23, 2019

RoboQB said:
While we're piling on with criticism of his broadcasting, let's not forget that the Cowboys
asked Witten to return during the back half of last season.

Also, I swear, he mentioned he was interested in coaching.
My hope was/is that he becomes somewhat of a player-coach.
I expect him to contribute this year. Hopefully, he stays down around 70%
of plays or less.

Did I pile on by just stating that his reviews weren't good?

The OP asked why he came back. I simply don't think it was purely for the love of the game as it is being portrayed. He could further tarnish his legacy if things don't go well. Just a realistic view of the situation in my opinion.

Bottom line, it would be a nice story if he came back & contributed and the season ended in a championship. That is what we all have to hope for, right?

RoboQB · Jul 23, 2019

McKDaddy said:
Did I pile on by just stating that his reviews weren't good?

The OP asked why he came back. I simply don't think it was purely for the love of the game as it is being portrayed. He could further tarnish his legacy if things don't go well. Just a realistic view of the situation in my opinion.

Bottom line, it would be a nice story if he came back & contributed and the season ended in a championship. That is what we all have to hope for, right?

Actually, yes, throughout your entire post. However, it was meant as a general expression.
There are many posts, like yours, commenting in some fashion on his poor announcing.

I did not realize "pile on" was an offensive phrase.

I was pointing out that the Cowboys initially came to him to discuss a return.

atlantacowboy · Jul 23, 2019

Red Dragon said:
Like many Cowboys fans, I was surprised at Witten deciding to return to the Cowboys, and felt that this kind of took away the dignity of what had been a very graceful retirement in 2017. I am not sure what he gets out of this - unless he is simply itching so badly to play more football that it's in his blood and he just can't bear to not be on the field.

He presumably has all the money he could ever need and this extra season isn't going to pay him much additionally. The Cowboys, despite being a playoff team last year, aren't likely to win a Super Bowl in this one last season of Witten's career. He is running a real risk of needless injury, especially given his old age. He isn't likely to break any career records in one last season, although he might pad his existing records a bit further. Indeed, it's not even likely that he would get the ball thrown his way much.

Yes, it's his decision and his decision alone, but since we are the peanut gallery and it's the offseason, does anyone see a good reason for #82 to have come back?

It takes some reading between the lines but its pretty obvious why Witten came back. The biggest factor was that he bombed on MNF and was not going to be asked back. So, rather than suffer the public embarrassment of being fired , he played his unretirement card. It was a win for everyone. ESPN got to gracefully get out of the situation. Witten got to save face. Dallas gets to sell more Witten jerseys and its not like we have any talent at TE anyway.

DandyDon52 · Jul 23, 2019

He did not like having a " real job" lol. Too much work and criticism.
Plus all he has ever done is play football, that is all he knows.
How good will he be? How many snaps he will get ? who knows, have to wait and see.

NoLuv4Jerry · Jul 23, 2019

Blackspider214 said:
And yet majority of Cowboys fans are so blind they relished when he came back. It will be the same old junk from Witten. 2 and 3 yard routes and then he falls down. He's not a team player at all. He is selfish and does not care about the development of any one else. He will suck the life out of this offense once again.

Wish I could like this 1000 times

erod · Jul 23, 2019

Witten was apparently not on the same page with Linehan. 2017 was a disaster. ESPN offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I think he left reluctantly. Felt he had to take advantage of a that opportunity.

Then the gig didn't go well. He almost came back to the Cowboys midseason because he wasn't ready to quit playing, and his reputation had become about that wig than his career.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't play next year, too. Never gained an ounce while away, and probably healed up in the process.

Techsass · Jul 23, 2019

QuincyCarterEra said:
Unfortunately he didn't even manage that role well.... at all.

On his 87 targets he produced a 1st down on 29.9% of them.

The key part of that was "Safety Valve" not "1st down option".

Just curious if anybody knows what % of his throws were on 3rd down.

CyberB0b · Jul 23, 2019

He wanted money. Jerry has it.

fishspill · Jul 23, 2019

I doubt this will go well. Witt should get to run his own life but the team doesn’t need to enable him. If the Eagles hadn’t schooled the Cowboys on draft day by taking Dallas Goedert right in front of them Witt wouldn’t be on this roster. This is an ego bandaid by the front office.

Is/was there any good, practical reason for Witten to return to football?

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