Jason Witten is as tough as they come.
The perfect example came during the fourth quarter of a Nov. 4, 2007 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Witten caught a Tony Romo pass over the middle on 2nd-and-9, and got absolutely drilled by Eagles safety Quintin Mikell in what could very well be flagged as targeting in today’s game.
Cornerback Williams James assisted on the hit, tearing Witten’s helmet from his head.
All Witten did was stay on his feet and take off for another 30 yards after the catch, down to the six-yard line. It was logged as a 53-yard completion. Don't see video below? Go here.
The best part? The Cowboys were leading 35-10 at the time and could’ve easily milked the clock if Witten just settled for a mere 20-yard catch for a first down. A significant portion of the Philadelphia crowd had left the stadium after Witten’s third-quarter touchdown.
But that’s not Jason Witten. He’s a “war daddy,” as the Cowboys organization likes to call their toughest dudes. He once played with a broken jaw, after having to sneak rolls of coins into his pants to make weight for the game.
He’s also played through sprained ankles and ligaments, and even through a lacerated spleen in 2012.
Witten plans to hang up his cleats for a spot in ESPN’s broadcast booth. He will have played in each of the last 235 games of his career – every one since Week 6 of his rookie season in 2003, with his one missed game coming due to the aforementioned broken jaw.
Since we've now seen the last of him in his No. 82 jersey, we’ll be without a legend with unmatched toughness.