Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten didn’t have a great season in 2017. He had 63 catches but for only 560 yards, his lowest total since his rookie year. That has continued a three-year decline in receiving yards for the 35-year-old.
But as Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram notes, Witten believes he’s still capable of performing at a high level, which is why he is coming back to play in his 16th season.
“I'm coming back,” Witten said. “I feel confident I can play the position at a high level still and all the things that are asked of me as a leader. I feel good about that.”
There was speculation during the season that Witten would retire at the end of the year in order to take the head coaching job at his alma mater, Tennessee. However, Witten shot down this claim, and it seems clear that he is still not ready to hang up his cleats.
Even at 35, Witten continues to suit up without fail on Sunday. He once again started all 16 games, pushing his amazing streak of consecutive regular starts to 179 games. And while his production took a dip, it should be noted that the Cowboys offense as a whole did not exactly live up to expectations this season.
Apart from his own performance, Witten is also optimistic that the entire team is fully capable of improving upon their 9-7 record last season. With running back Ezekiel Elliott likely back for a full season, the Cowboys should once again have that ground game that can help open things up for Witten and the passing game a lot more.
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