Jason Witten, an 11-time NFL Pro Bowl selection, is now the head coach of a Christian high school football team.
Witten was named head coach of Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, Monday, one week after he announced his retirement from the NFL. It was the second football retirement for Witten, a tight end who played 15 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys before retiring after the 2017 season and then returning for two more seasons – first with the Cowboys and then this past season with the Las Vegas Raiders. In 2018, Witten was part of ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast crew.
Athlon Sports named him one of the 25 best tight ends in NFL history. He was selected to the Pro Bowl 11 times.
“Faith. Family. Football. In this next chapter, it is important to me to be the best father and husband I can be, while making a positive impact in the community and share the wisdom I’ve accumulated over the years to positively impact the next generation,” Witten said in a statement to The Dallas Morning News.
Liberty Christian athletic director Johnny Isom said he’s “very excited” about Witten leading the football team.
Liberty Christian School is excited to announce our new Head Football Coach Jason Witten. Jason, former Dallas Cowboy tight end and long-time Liberty parent will be joining the Liberty Christian coaching staff as Head Football Coach. It’s a great day to be a Warrior! pic.twitter.com/SPtdSqvxID
— Liberty Christian (@LibertyArgyle) February 1, 2021
“We have an extremely talented, hard working group of coaches and he will undoubtedly prove to be a wonderful addition,” Isom said in a statement to the Morning News. “Jason has been a loyal parent in our community for a long time, so he already knows first-hand the excellence that Liberty brings to all areas of our school. Additionally, he is a man of deep faith with a background rooted in hard work and family – something I know our athletes will benefit from witnessing. The football program will be in great hands under his leadership and I cannot wait to see the impact that he will have on the lives of athletes.”
Witten played college football at the University of Tennessee.
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Chris Unger/Stringer
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
