The VFL is widely recognized as one of Tennessee’s finest players of all time. Now, Witten will be honored in perpetuity with the state’s top sporting award.
The Tennessee Volunteers have had several local athletes who have played on Neyland Stadium and become superstars. However, few have completed a full athletic career, as Jason Witten did over two decades on the field.
Witten, who is from Elizabethton in East Tennessee, played tight end for three seasons at Tennessee from 2000 to 2002, establishing himself as one of the program’s greatest tight ends. He had an outstanding 17-year career with the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders, retiring after the 2020 season.
Witten will be remembered forever as a hero of the Volunteer State. He discovered on Thursday night that he would be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 class.
Jason Witten will be inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026.
“Jason Witten embodies all that is good about Tennessee football,” said Brad Willis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, in a statement from the Hall of Fame announcing his selection. “Jason has established a legacy defined by excellence, resilience, and leadership, from his roots in Elizabethton to his great career at the University of Tennessee and his outstanding success in the NFL. ” We are pleased to welcome him into the Class of 2026. “
Witten’s NFL CV is outstanding. He is the Dallas Cowboys’ all-time leading receiver, as well as the NFL’s second all-time in receptions (1228), receiving yards (13,046) by a tight end, and sixth in touchdown catches (74). His 11 Pro Bowls are tied for second-most in NFL history among tight ends.
Surprisingly, that was insufficient for his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in April. He was a finalist but did not receive the knock on the door, which will definitely come much sooner than expected.
Until then, at least the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame properly recognized Witten’s name for his nearly unprecedented achievements on the football field over the course of two decades.
