First stop, the University of Oklahoma, next stop, the Dallas Cowboys? Maybe that's the track ex-tight end Jason Witten is on after accepting a position on Brent Venables' Sooners football staff as a TE coach to replace Joe Jon Finley, according to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz.
Sooners Illustrated's Tom Green lauded the hire for OU, bringing on the former Liberty Christian Warriors head coach, who won two state titles, one at the Division II level and another at the Division I level during their first year at the highest level in 2024, in Argyle, Texas.
Green likes Witten's ties in the Denton area, part of the greater Dallas-Fort Worth metro, as a selling point in recruiting for the Sooners.
"He was an 11-time Pro Bowl selection and a four-time All-Pro tight end. What he lacks in experience at the college level, Witten makes up for in experience at the position. His knowledge of the position — paired with his deep ties to the state of Texas (particularly the north Texas region) — make him an enticing, somewhat outside-the-box candidate," Green wrote.
With Witten in tow and the NIL/rev-share era in full effect, expect Oklahoma to invest in the tight end position, as well as running back. Witten's former Cowboys teammate, DeMarco Murray, will be the Sooners' running backs coach.
Jason Witten on 5-Year Plan to Potential Cowboys Stint
Starting as a position coach, Witten can move up to an offensive coordinator spot quickly. Realistically, within a season or two. Then, the jump from OC to head coach could happen just as quickly, and it'll be interesting to see if that run leads to his joining the Cowboys at any point.
Witten would probably have to take a job at a smaller school than Oklahoma, unless Venables loses the plot in Norman and is eventually fired. Two to three years of success at the Power 4 level, and a head coaching job in the NFL doesn't feel off the table.
It was only a year ago when Witten was linked to the then-vacant Cowboys head coach opening. Obviously, the retired TE didn't get the gig, as he was never interviewed; however, he did make it clear that his goal is to coach in the NFL one day.
"Of course it's a long-term goal of mine one day to get back (to the NFL) when the right opportunity comes," Witten said on Feb. 12 (h/t @calvinwatkins).
At this point, we know owner/general manager Jerry Jones likes his guys. He gave head coach Brian Schottenheimer the internal promotion from OC this past year, which wasn't that popular at the time, but didn't turn out to be the worst move.
Schottenheimer won't be in Dallas in five years, barring a sudden change of course over the next year or two, though, because of how high the expectations are and how little control Schotty seems to have. Should the chance arise for Witten to come home, Jones needs to make the obvious hire.
If the Cowboys are lucky, Witten and Murray could be available at the same time, and he can hire one as head coach and the other as the OC.