Dallas Cowboys | Official Team Site
Height: 6-6 Weight: 263 Age: 35
Born: 5/6/1982 Knoxville , TN
College: Tennessee
Experience: 16th season
High School: Elizabethton HS [TN]
REC 63
YDS 560
AVG 8.9
TDS 5
Christopher Jason Witten (born May 6, 1982[1]) is an American football tight end for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Tennessee, and was drafted by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Witten ranks second in all-time career receptions and receiving yards by a NFL tight end, trailing only Tony Gonzalez.
Witten is the youngest of three brothers, Ryan and Shawn, and was raised in Washington D.C., but attended Elizabethton High School in Elizabethton, Tennessee.[2] Witten's father, a 6'8", 300 lb. mailman, was abusive toward his mother, Kim, and his older brothers after he became addicted to alcohol and drugs when Jason was 6.[3] When he was 11, Witten moved to Elizabethton to live with his grandparents.[4] His grandfather Dave Rider was also the coach of the football team, where he was a two-way player, playing linebacker and tight end.[5]
Witten became a three-year starter playing both linebacker and tight end, while helping his team reach the state semifinals three times. As a senior linebacker, he finished the season with 163 tackles (registering a career school record 450), nine sacks, two interceptions, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two blocked kicks. That year, he received several accolades: All-American, All-State (also as a junior), USA Today Player of the Year for Tennessee, East Tennessee Player of the Year, Region Defensive Player of the Year and runner-up for the Mr. Football award. He had 26 receptions and 14 touchdowns on offense. He also played basketball, where he averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds per-game.
College career
Witten accepted a scholarship to the University of Tennessee, with the promise from then head coach Phillip Fulmer that he would be played at defensive end. He began his freshman year playing special teams and saw time as a second-string defensive end.
After injuries impacted the depth at the tight end position, he was moved to the offensive side midway through the season. Although Witten did not agree with the change and even considering transferring, he eventually came around and was used primarily as a blocker while he learned the position. He also started in his first 2 games.[6] As a freshman, he recorded one reception on the season, which went for 11 yards in a 70–3 victory over Louisiana–Monroe.[7]
He started three games as a sophomore, registering 28 receptions for 293 yards and two touchdowns.[8] He scored his first collegiate touchdown in a 35–24 victory over Alabama.[9] As a junior, he had a breakout year, setting school records for a tight end in receptions (39) and receiving yards (493) with five touchdowns, including one of the most memorable receptions in school history, a game-winning touchdown in the sixth overtime against the University of Arkansas.[10][11] He received All-SEC (SEC) and Academic All-SEC honors after leading the conference's tight ends in receptions and receiving yards.[12]
Even though he decided to enter the NFL Draft after his junior season and had played the position in only 20 games, he left ranked third all-time among the school's tight ends with 68 career receptions and fourth all-time with 797 receiving yards.[13]