Jason Witten has announced his departure from ESPN and Monday Night Football and will return to the football field with his beloved Dallas Cowboys. Witten has spent his entire career with the Cowboys. Witten's return was first confirmed on the Cowboys website. Witten released a statement saying the desire to play is still inside of him and he wants to help lead this team to a championship. Jason Witten also said this decision was made by himself alone.

Witten was a strong asset to Dak Prescott during his final season with the team. He recorded 63 catches for 560 yards and five touchdowns.

Dallas struggled offensively with their tight ends in 2018, with the trio of Blake Jarwin, Geoff Swaim and Rico Gathers recording 56 catches, 594 yards, and four touchdowns.

Jason Witten key asset to Cowboys offense

Jason Witten's return can bolster the Cowboys performance on third downs. Dallas has been strong when it came to third down conversions, ranking 10th in the league and recording a 41.4 percent conversion rate. Witten's return gives newly tapped offensive coordinator Kellen Moore more options offensively.

The news comes as a surprise to Cowboys nation, but rumors began to swirl that Jason Witten was strongly considering a return to AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys managed to reach the playoffs and win a round without Witten on the field, but now their chances have increased significantly.

Witten's return is said to come from a feeling of having more to give to a player rather than any issue with ESPN and his broadcast work. Witten's return also resets the clock when it comes to his entrance into the Hall of Fame.

Dallas Cowboys have been working at making big changes

The Dallas Cowboys have been looking to make massive changes to the offensive line in order to become a more creative team.

Dallas has plenty of cap space during this offseason, to add more talent to its roster, but has already announced they are working at making long-term deals for several star Cowboys players including DeMarcus Lawrence, Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, and Ezekiel Elliott. There are rumors that Dallas may be considering making a move for Earl Thomas.

ESPN is now short a co-host of Monday Night Football, and the network has not said whether they will begin a replacement search for Witten. There's a possibility that they may just move their sideline reporter to the booth.

Jason Witten has had a storied career, putting himself fourth when it comes to career receptions, putting himself behind Jerry Rice, Tony Gonzalez and Larry Fitzgerald. Witten played 239 career games with Dallas, setting a franchise record.
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