Witten is one of the best Cowboys to ever play the game.
Drafted in 2003, Witten has done more than enough to deserve a place in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The Tennessee alum stands at 6’5 and 257 pounds, has 47 career touchdowns, and has remarkably only missed one game throughout his entire career. Witten has had four seasons with over 1,000 yards – a stat that few other players have on their resume. In the eyes of some critics, there's only one thing holding him back: Witten has no ring.
Why do some believe a player has to win a Super Bowl to be inducted into the Hall of Fame? There are numerous Hall of Famers that have come up short - Dick Butkus, Jim Kelly, Earl Campbell and many more. These are players that made an impact on the game of football, and still influenced the history of the league without winning a championship. They succeeded tremendously in their careers, and what seems to be forgotten is that one person can't win a Super Bowl by themselves - a team has to win it.
The Cowboys have yet to reach that point as a franchise while Witten has been a part of the team, but that doesn't mean they won’t. Witten is a crucial weapon to the Cowboys' offense, and he could be even more important now that DeMarco Murray is out with an injury.
The argument that Witten needs to win a ring before he gets inducted to the Hall of Fame is wrong.
Witten is still a fairly young player. He's shown impressive durability, and he still has the chance to make it to the Super Bowl - but he should be in the Hall even if he never makes it that far.
Witten's chances will also improve if he continues to set records – something he's very familiar with by now. He holds the NFL record for most
receptions in a single year by a tight end. He also holds the Cowboys record for career receptions, and is an eight time pro-bowler. We can't forget - Witten also has the most receptions by a Cowboys player through the age of 30. Meaning, of yards achieved before age 3o, Witten has more than any other player.
Witten is also the kind of player that learns from his mistakes. He's fumbled just five times in his entire career - there are plenty of players in the NFL that fumble that many times in one season. Witten is highly respected by teammates and coaches - Jason Garrett has said in the past that Witten has already done enough to make it into the Hall of Fame.
Witten is a one-of-a-kind player. He's proven his versatility to his teammates and fans. He's not only a great player on the
field, but a great person off of it - Witten was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2012 in recognition of his community service efforts. He has stuck up for Tony Romo even when Romo was getting absolutely blasted in the media - he's the kind of player who truly believes in his team.
The last tight end to be
inducted into the Hall of Fame was Shannon Sharpe in 2011. At the rate Witten is going, he can - and will - surpass Sharpe in a number of statistical categories - he'll overtake Sharpe in total touchdowns and yards per season in the near future.
Witten is simply one of the best. There's no question whether he should make it into Hall of Fame - he's already proven on and off the field that he belongs there.
There are 273 people in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and in the future, Jason Witten's name will be on that list.
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