Now that Jason Witten is back on the Dallas Cowboys he is opening up about his one year on Monday Night Football and admits that he heard all the criticism and it really bothered him. Witten told Ryen Russillo on ‘Duel Threat' that during his time in the league he heard the criticism but he could block it out, something that was a lot tougher to do in the booth.

“Nobody’s immune to it, regardless of how much mental toughness you have,” Witten said on Dual Threat with Ryen Russillo. “That was one of the things I kind of prided myself on as a player for 15 years. I could handle the big stage. … Certainly, I took a beating. I’m aware of it. To say like, ‘Hey, you didn’t pay attention to it.’ Bullsh–. Everybody’s aware and if you’re not, you’re lying to me to say you’re just immune to it. Probably everybody outside of Bill Belichick and a handful of others that just don’t really care what’s being said.”

Witten said there were times after calling a game he would check his phone and it would be like someone died, that's how much support his friends and family were trying to give him.

“The toughest part was you finish calling a game and whether you’re flying back that night or going back to the hotel I would check my texts and it was like they found out I was sick or something or somebody died in my family,” Witten said. “‘Hey, praying for you. Keep your head up. Don’t worry about it.”

Witten also said that he didn't make the decision because of the criticism, he just really misses playing the game and wants to get back into it.

Even though Witten says it didn't play a role, there has to be at least part of it in the back of his mind that helped make the decision a little easier to go back to playing tight end.