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Jason Witten focused on winning, not Tony Romo's role
9:30 AM CT
Jean-Jacques Taylor
ESPN Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas -- You would think the end of Tony Romo's time as the Cowboys' starting QB would be harder on Jason Witten.
After all, the tight end and Romo have been teammates with the Dallas Cowboys since 2003. Heck, they literally arrived together, sharing a van ride from the airport to the practice facility.
During that time, Witten has caught 639 passes for 7,287 yards and 37 touchdowns from Romo.
You'd think Witten would be more conflicted. While Witten has missed only three plays in nine games this season, one of his closest friends has been relegated to the bench for the first time in a decade.
Well, Witten isn't conflicted. And he won't be anytime soon.
That's because the 2016 Cowboys players' code doesn't allow it.
A 6-foot tall copy of the code hangs on a wall in the entrance to the shower area next to a cooler in the Cowboys' locker room, so players walk past it numerous times each day.
The code talks about the Cowboys' commitment to winning and to the team. It talks about accountability and selflessness.
It talks about all of the attributes Romo showed Tuesday, when he accepted being the Cowboys' backup and pledged to support starter Dak Prescott, who assumed the starter's role after Romo's back was injured in a preseason game. Now Romo is healthy enough to play, but the Cowboys (8-1) have the NFL's best record with Prescott at quarterback.
"I really don't feel like I've had to do that," Witten said of managing his relationship with Romo. "I think just being honest and being who I am, and I have a great relationship with both of them.
"Sure, certainly you feel for Tony to have that setback, but I think everybody is such team guys in this situation."
So Witten isn't mourning the end of Romo's time as a starter. He's too busy focusing on the present. He's living in the moment and preparing each day to help this team win a championship.
See, those are no longer empty words, as they've been during other seasons.
It's real now, and no detail is too small.
Witten has played in 216 regular-season games and six playoff games.
At 34, the end of his career is just over the horizon. Who knows if he'll ever be part of a team this good again?
Understand, no team is ever the same. Each one is unique. You can never duplicate the individual performances, the chemistry or the vibe.
Witten has never experienced consecutive 10-win seasons. He hasn't made the playoffs in consecutive years since 2006 and 2007.
Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, a pair of rookies, have given the old man energy.
He laughs at their jokes. He occasionally emulates their dance moves. He serves as a mentor.
Two games ago, he caught eight passes for 134 yards and a touchdown.
Football is more fun than it's been in a while. Winning does that.
While he wishes Romo had a larger role, Witten could not have handpicked a better successor than Prescott. He has the same types of qualities and intangibles that drew Witten to Romo.
Prescott's stats are fine. He's passed for at least 200 yards in every start and has accounted for 18 touchdowns -- 14 passing and four rushing -- and just two interceptions. Like Romo, Prescott seems to play his best football at winning time, having already engineered fourth-quarter or overtime wins over the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers.
In the locker room, he seemingly always says the right thing, and teammates -- young and old -- on both sides of the ball gravitate to him.
"Dak's just been a great young kid. I mean, he's smart. He's tough," Witten said. "He's handled the situation in such a unique way. And I'm proud of him for the way he's done it.
"And I think, really, it's a testament to both of them to how they've handled it that's made it really easy for me to be able to go through that. I have a really good relationship with both of them, and they have a good relationship with each other."
9:30 AM CT
Jean-Jacques Taylor
ESPN Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas -- You would think the end of Tony Romo's time as the Cowboys' starting QB would be harder on Jason Witten.
After all, the tight end and Romo have been teammates with the Dallas Cowboys since 2003. Heck, they literally arrived together, sharing a van ride from the airport to the practice facility.
During that time, Witten has caught 639 passes for 7,287 yards and 37 touchdowns from Romo.
You'd think Witten would be more conflicted. While Witten has missed only three plays in nine games this season, one of his closest friends has been relegated to the bench for the first time in a decade.
Well, Witten isn't conflicted. And he won't be anytime soon.
That's because the 2016 Cowboys players' code doesn't allow it.
A 6-foot tall copy of the code hangs on a wall in the entrance to the shower area next to a cooler in the Cowboys' locker room, so players walk past it numerous times each day.
The code talks about the Cowboys' commitment to winning and to the team. It talks about accountability and selflessness.
It talks about all of the attributes Romo showed Tuesday, when he accepted being the Cowboys' backup and pledged to support starter Dak Prescott, who assumed the starter's role after Romo's back was injured in a preseason game. Now Romo is healthy enough to play, but the Cowboys (8-1) have the NFL's best record with Prescott at quarterback.
"I really don't feel like I've had to do that," Witten said of managing his relationship with Romo. "I think just being honest and being who I am, and I have a great relationship with both of them.
"Sure, certainly you feel for Tony to have that setback, but I think everybody is such team guys in this situation."
So Witten isn't mourning the end of Romo's time as a starter. He's too busy focusing on the present. He's living in the moment and preparing each day to help this team win a championship.
See, those are no longer empty words, as they've been during other seasons.
It's real now, and no detail is too small.
Witten has played in 216 regular-season games and six playoff games.
At 34, the end of his career is just over the horizon. Who knows if he'll ever be part of a team this good again?
Understand, no team is ever the same. Each one is unique. You can never duplicate the individual performances, the chemistry or the vibe.
Witten has never experienced consecutive 10-win seasons. He hasn't made the playoffs in consecutive years since 2006 and 2007.
Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, a pair of rookies, have given the old man energy.
He laughs at their jokes. He occasionally emulates their dance moves. He serves as a mentor.
Two games ago, he caught eight passes for 134 yards and a touchdown.
Football is more fun than it's been in a while. Winning does that.
While he wishes Romo had a larger role, Witten could not have handpicked a better successor than Prescott. He has the same types of qualities and intangibles that drew Witten to Romo.
Prescott's stats are fine. He's passed for at least 200 yards in every start and has accounted for 18 touchdowns -- 14 passing and four rushing -- and just two interceptions. Like Romo, Prescott seems to play his best football at winning time, having already engineered fourth-quarter or overtime wins over the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers.
In the locker room, he seemingly always says the right thing, and teammates -- young and old -- on both sides of the ball gravitate to him.
"Dak's just been a great young kid. I mean, he's smart. He's tough," Witten said. "He's handled the situation in such a unique way. And I'm proud of him for the way he's done it.
"And I think, really, it's a testament to both of them to how they've handled it that's made it really easy for me to be able to go through that. I have a really good relationship with both of them, and they have a good relationship with each other."
