FRISCO, Texas – At 2:35 p.m. on Thursday, the words officially came from Jason Witten’s mouth.
“After much self reflection, prayer and faith, I’ve decided the time has come for me to pass the torch to the next generation of Dallas Cowboys, and retire from the National Football League.”
Witten, who turns 36 on Sunday, delivered a heartfelt tribute to the game and the Cowboys organization in announcing his retirement after a 15-year Hall-of-Fame career.
He reflected on a decade-and-a-half of hard work that resulted in 235 consecutive games played.
“I was never the most talented, never the flashiest. I relied on grit,” Witten said. “Other players might have been more talented, but no one would ever outwork me.”
It was an emotional goodbye Thursday afternoon at The Star in Frisco. The franchise’s all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards spoke on the difficulty of the decision to step away from the game.
“The man who insists on seeing the perfect clearness before he decides, never decides,” he said. “I never wanted this day to come. But it does come for all of us.”
“Better three hours too soon than a minute too late,” he added.
Witten holds several Cowboys records for pass-catching and longevity. But the team’s record was a combined 125-115 over his 15-year career that saw only six playoff appearances.
“The hardest part of this decision is knowing that I’d never be able to hand you that Lombardi Trophy,” Witten said to longtime owner Jerry Jones.
“For 15 years, I tried to represent [Cowboys fans] the right way,” he said. “Bring you joy, and win you a championship. While I leave today short of that mark, I hope that along the way I made you proud to be a Cowboys fan.”
Jerry and other members of the Jones family were in tears after Witten’s official announcement. Head coach Jason Garrett got choked up delivering a line about Witten’s selflessness. There were tributes to Witten’s signature route – the Y-option – and his service to the organization.
"You came in here with a legacy and you're leaving with our hearts,” Jones said. “But we're with you … you're an inspiration to me and everybody that's ever said they were a Dallas Cowboy."
Witten’s decision to retire, of course, comes as he steps into the broadcast booth as the color analyst for ESPN’s re-worked Monday Night Football broadcast. He was asked about the next step Thursday.
“If you can’t play it, you want to coach it. If you can’t coach it, you want to be around it,” he said. “It’s a unique opportunity to join a good team, and to be able to partner with a lot of guys that share that same passion, and a huge platform to share our love for this great game.”
Watch the entire press conference below or here. (Witten starts speaking around the 24:30 mark)