Jason Witten News: Pro Sports Daily

Witten is looking forward to USO tour of Asia

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February 26

Dallas Morning News

"Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten will spend part of his off-season in Southwest Asia as part of the NFL-USO tradition that started more than 40 years ago. Witten will be joined by fellow Pro Bowlers Vernon Davis (San Francisco), Joe Thomas (Cleveland) and Mario Williams (Houston) for the weeklong visit to the U.S. troops at military bases throughout the region."

Catching Witten in the act

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January 13

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"The Vikings don't need to be reminded that they have had issues slowing quality, pass-catching tight ends this season. San Francisco's Vernon Davis had seven receptions for 96 yards and two touchdowns in Week 3. Green Bay's Jermichael Finley had six catches for 128 yards and a touchdown the following week. The Bears' Greg Olsen had a team-leading seven receptions for 45 yards in late November and then combined with Desmond Clark to catch eight balls for 86 yards and two touchdowns in Week 16. So it isn't exactly good news for the Vikings that they will be facing one of the NFL's top receiving tight ends Sunday, when they go against Dallas' Jason Witten in a divisional playoff game at the ..."

Dallas tight end Jason Witten could cause headaches for Vikings' defense

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January 12

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"The Vikings' defense has had issues with tight ends this season. That could be the case again Sunday in the divisional playoffs. Jason Witten, the six-time Pro Bowler for the Dallas Cowboys, poses a difficult matchup. He could be the best tight end the Vikings have faced this season. "He's proven," Vikings linebacker Ben Leber said. "He's always effective, kind of a go-to guy for them. So anytime you can get a tight end that can stretch you vertically in the middle, it makes it tough on a defense." Witten led the Cowboys with 94 catches this season, covering 1,030 yards with two touchdowns. "They'll use him kind of as a slot receiver sometimes. It's going to be huge on us as linebackers, ..."

Witten could cause headache for TE-challenged Vikings D

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January 12

Dallas Morning News

"The Vikings' defense has had issues with tight ends this season. That could be the case again Sunday in the divisional playoffs. Jason Witten, the six-time Pro Bowler for the Dallas Cowboys, poses a difficult matchup. He could be the best tight end the Vikings have faced this season. "He's proven," Vikings linebacker Ben Leber said. "He's always effective, kind of a go-to guy for them. So anytime you can get a tight end that can stretch you vertically in the middle, it makes it tough on a defense." Witten led the Cowboys with 94 catches this season, covering 1,030 yards with two touchdowns. "They'll use him kind of as a slot receiver sometimes. It's going to be huge on us as linebackers, ..."

Cowboys end 13-year playoff drought, beat rival Eagles

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January 10

San Antonio Express-News

"For all those skeptics who thought their sizzling regular-season finish was merely an aberration, the Dallas Cowboys proved that a new day has indeed dawned in roasting the overwhelmed Philadelphia Eagles 34-14 on Saturday night to end a franchise-worst 13-year drought without a postseason win. In the first playoff game at their $1.2 billion stadium, the Cowboys dominated in all three phases and never trailed, leading 27-7 at halftime and 34-7 after three quarters. Tony Romo threw a pair of touchdown passes, Felix Jones ripped off a dazzling franchise-playoff record 73-yard TD run and coach Wade Phillips' rugged defense forced four turnovers and recorded four sacks as Dallas delighted a ..."

Jason Witten looks to step up

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January 7

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Hard to believe that was Cowboys tight end Jason Witten's first trip to the end zone since the second game of the season when he caught a first-quarter touchdown pass Sunday against the Eagles. It's even harder to believe Saturday's rematch will be just the fourth playoff game of Witten's career. Despite making his sixth Pro Bowl this season, Witten has never experienced a playoff win. "Obviously, it's been frustrating over the years not to have success," Witten said. "It bothers you and you take pride in that. More than anything, it allows you to appreciate the opportunity you have now and really take advantage of it. You know that it doesn't happen every year." Witten turned in another ..."

Cowboys need to utilize Witten in red zone

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December 19

San Antonio Express-News

"You think you have issues with Jason Garrett's play calling? Imagine how Jason Witten must feel. The Cowboys' five-time Pro Bowl tight end hasn't knocked Garrett publicly, but there are signs he's deeply disappointed his number hasn't been called much in the red zone. In a season in which 13 NFL tight ends have at least five touchdown receptions, Witten has only one through 13 games. "I don't have the answer," Witten said on his weekly radio show after the host asked him about it. "I wish I did," Witten added. "It's very frustrating. ... Over the last (few) years, we've been able to use that weapon, being a big target. Some of it has been staying in (to block), some of it has been not ..."

Cowboys' offense shorts out again vs. San Diego

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December 14

Dallas Morning News

"In the first quarter Sunday, Cowboys coach Wade Phillips predicted a high-scoring game by having the offense go for it on fourth-and-4 in San Diego territory. The offense picked up the first down, but the gamble only led to a field goal. With that, the Cowboys determined their fate. When they needed touchdowns, the Cowboys got a field goal or worse. When the moments were ripe for success, the Cowboys blinked. Or hooked a field goal try. Or failed to score from the Chargers' 1 on three consecutive tries when it was football at its most basic. "We let opportunity slip away," tight end Jason Witten said. In the first half, the Cowboys had three prime scoring possessions: first downs at the ..."

Witten reaches milestones in Dallas Cowboys' 31-24 loss

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December 7

Dallas Morning News

"Maybe one day Jason Witten will look back at Sunday's game a little more fondly. The 500th catch of his career. Moving into second all-time in receptions in Cowboys' history. Fourteen receptions in the game, one off his career high. A career-high 156 yards. What mattered most was that the Cowboys lost Sunday, 31-24, to the New York Giants and dropped into a first-place tie with Philadelphia. "It's definitely humbling to be second in Cowboys history because there's so many great tight ends and wide receivers that played here," Witten said, "but right now it's hard to think of it being a big deal." Of the six tight ends to reach 500 receptions in NFL history only Hall of Famer Kellen ..."

Cowboys enjoy plate of big plays

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November 27

San Antonio Express-News

"While millions of Americans feasted on turkey and all the trimmings, the Dallas Cowboys got fat Thursday on big plays. Tony Romo passed for two touchdowns, Miles Austin and Jason Witten topped 100 yards receiving, and the Cowboys snapped out of their offensive funk and prepped for another grueling December with a 24-7 clubbing of Oakland fueled by 10 plays of 20 or more yards. Dallas (8-3) never trailed and led 17-0 at halftime, delighting a crowd of 83,489 that witnessed the team's first home win over Oakland (3-8) in four tries. "This was a feel-good game for us," coach Wade Phillips said. "It gives us confidence. We played like we did during our (four-game) winning streak. "Now, it ..."

For the Witten test, go back a few years

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November 27

San Antonio Express-News

columnist Buck Harvey

"Jason Witten asked we not make him out to be "a tough guy." We won't. He had a sore foot. He played on it on Thursday. Football players do these things all of the time. That's not a tough-guy story. But there is one about Witten, and we have to go back a few years. We have to go back to when Bill Parcells thought he needed to test his rookie. Looking back, knowing what we know now, was the test necessary? There are other tests for the current Cowboys. December is one. The month seems to bring out their worst. But all they could do Thursday was end November the best they could, and that's where Witten came in. He'd pulled up lame in the second quarter on Sunday against the Redskins, and it ..."

Romo, Witten endure pain, thrive in Dallas Cowboys' 24-7 win

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November 27

Dallas Morning News

"Kickoff was about four hours away, but Tony Romo and Jason Witten, who was riding shotgun, made the drive from the Gaylord Texan hotel in Grapevine to Cowboys Stadium. They needed more treatment. Romo sat in a hot tub at one end of the training room to help loosen up his sore back. Witten sat on a table with wires and ice attached to his sprained left foot. "It was pretty early for both of us," Witten said. "But it was like that all week really." Romo and Witten fought through the aches and pains Thursday for the three hours and 11 minutes it took for the Cowboys to beat Oakland. Romo threw for 309 yards, completing 18-of-29 with two touchdown passes. He also had his sixth game without ..."

Jason Witten, Tony Romo not feeling great but feeling OK

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November 27

Dallas Morning News

"Tony Romo and Jason Witten had extra treatment before the game on their sore back and sprained left foot Thursday. After the 24-7 victory, they felt ... OK. Not great, but OK. You could tell Romo's back was stiff by how he was standing at his locker after the game. "The back was OK throwing the ball," said Romo, who took a hit on the first series."

Witten will play vs. Raiders

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November 26

ESPN.com

"Cowboys tight end Jason Witten will play Thursday against the Oakland Raiders. Witten was listed as questionable with a sprained left foot. The team was being cautious with Witten during practice this week because they didn't want him to damage the foot further. Witten hasn't missed a game since the 2003 season when he was recovering from a broken jaw. He's played in 108 out of a possible 109 games since then. He is tied for second among tight ends with 54 catches and is 10th with 481 yards. The Cowboys still want Witten to get a good warmup before the start of the game to make sure the foot doesn't give him any problems. If Witten can cut and push off well, which the team believes is ..."

Dallas Cowboys TE Witten a 'game-time decision'

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November 25

Dallas Morning News

"According to coach Wade Phillips, Romo threw well enough to show the Cowboys that he is recovering. The Cowboys are more pessimistic about Witten, whom Phillips described as a "game-time decision." Said Phillips: "I won't say it's severe, but it's something that worries us about him being able to play." If Witten cannot play, Martellus Bennett and rookie John Phillips would have increased responsibilities. Bennett, plagued by drops early in the season, matched his season high with three catches for 43 yards against Washington. "Martellus showed up in the last game," Phillips said. Witten plays a major role in the passing game. Romo has thrown more passes to Witten (71) than to any ..."

Witten gives student contest winner a ride to school

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November 11

Dallas Morning News

"Jason Witten is 0-2 in finding a Cowboys fan as part of the NFL's Take a Player to School program. This year's local contest winner is 9-year-old Trent Beamer - a Steelers fan whose bedroom is decorated in Pittsburgh black and gold. Last year's winner, Shane Wells, was a Denver Broncos fan. But according to Brian Beamer, Trent's dad, Witten was a good sport about the competition. "Today, we're definitely Cowboys fans," Beamer said. Witten picked up the fourth-grader and his family in a limo Tuesday and took them to Akin Elementary School in Wylie ISD. The Cowboys tight end was welcomed by screaming students and teachers chanting "Cowboys! Cowboys!" Weaving around the fans shaking ..."

Cowboys' Witten, Falcons' Gonzalez stand apart among tight ends

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October 25

Dallas Morning News

"The Mutual Admiration Society for Tight Ends will gather at Cowboys Stadium today for a debate. Who is better: Jason Witten of the Cowboys or Atlanta's Tony Gonzalez? Speaking for Witten, Tony Gonzalez. "Jason is the best tight end in the NFL," said Gonzalez, the NFL career leader in receptions, yards and touchdowns at the position. "I enjoy watching him. Anytime he's on television, I'm watching." Speaking for Gonzalez, Jason Witten. "He's the top of the pack," said Witten, a five-time Pro Bowler. "I've always looked at him and admired the way he's played. ... We're all trying to get where he's at." What makes Gonzalez and Witten the Nos. 1 and 1A of tight ends? In this decade, the ..."

Fox apologizes for cartoon mocking Jessica Simpson

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October 15

Dallas Morning News

"Burger King and the Fox network have apologized for a cartoon skit that aired during Fox's NFL Sunday last week that had showed the Cowboys mocking Jessica Simpson for her supposed weight gain. In the commercial, the cartoon version of Marion Barber says, "Man, I still can't believe Tony dated Jessica Simpson, even after she blew up bigger than Flozell Adams!" The cartoon version of Jason Witten says, "Unlike Tony, at least Jessica comes up big when it counts!" And the cartoon version of coach Wade Phillips adds, "Say Tony, is Jessica around? We could use a defensive tackle!""

Witten takes turn at defending Romo

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September 25

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Although Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo chatted with the Carolina media Thursday, he has not talked to the local media since Sunday's 33-31 loss to the New York Giants. Romo threw three interceptions against the Giants in what was arguably the worst performance of his NFL career, drawing criticism this week from Cowboys legends Tony Dorsett and Troy Aikman and raising old concerns about his subpar play in big games. But while Romo hasn't taken the time to talk about how he will bounce back Monday against the Carolina Panthers, his teammates have continued to support him. Center Andre Gurode and receivers Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton have come out in support of Romo. It was tight ..."

Jason Witten flying under radar, as he likes it

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September 10

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Tight end Jason Witten is seemingly the forgotten man on the Dallas Cowboys. For all the questions and concerns about the offense, the lack of leadership and the absence of a go-to guy in the passing game, nobody is talking about the five-time Pro Bowler who has led the team in catches the past two seasons and is already the greatest tight end statistically in Cowboys' history. He holds the team record for receptions and yards by a tight end. For all the excitement about the emergence of athletic tight end Martellus Bennett and the game-breaking ability of running back Felix Jones, the man who is laying the groundwork for a possible run to Canton is being lost in the conversation. The ..."