Cowboys’ and NFL fans in general will know Jason Witten for his already Hall of Fame career, trailing only Tony Gonzalez in Receptions and Receiving Yards by a Tight End in NFL history. By the time that he retires he may hold those records as he trails Gonzalez by 382 Receptions and 4,625 yards. His on the field excellence has been a pleasure to watch throughout his entire career.
Despite his on-field greatness, Jason Witten will never be as good of a football player as he is a man.
Deep Blue is the Dallas Cowboys’ recently launched documentary series that will take fans on a very personal journey into the lives of current Cowboys and those influential to the team. Last week Driven was released and highlights the peaks and valleys into the life and career of number 82.
There was a great deal of turmoil in the young life of the Cowboys’ Tight End which could have easily saw a young Jason take a completely different path. Watching the documentary really allows you to see how it was growing up through his eyes. His reflective insight allows for the viewer to understand how important his relationships with his mother and grandfather were in shaping him into the man he is today.
By no coincidence, he credits his mother for the inspiration behind the SCORE Foundation, which he launched in 2007. The foundation works with battered women’s shelters in attempts to end the cycle of domestic violence by introducing positive male mentors into the lives of impacted children.
His continued work with the foundation led to him winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012. The award highlights a player that demonstrates excellence on the field and their humanitarian efforts in their community.
Driven shows Jason Witten to not only be an impact player on the field, but to be a man that will go out of his way to extend his hand to those in need while donating his time whenever he can. We were all reminded of a particular instance of this before the joint practice with the Rams on Monday.
Without a doubt, Jason Witten is the prime example of how a Dallas Cowboy should be on and off the field.
His passion for the game is only matched by his willingness to give back to those that were in the same life circumstances that he once was. If you have not already, take some time to watch the complete story here.
