The former Dallas Cowboys star is pouring his passion into coaching at Liberty Christian in Argyle when he could be lounging in retirement.
ARGYLE, Texas — What if your high school football coach was a Dallas Cowboys legend?
For the athletes at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, that’s their reality.
Former NFL tight end Jason Witten, known for his grit and leadership during 16 seasons with the Cowboys, has been leading the Warriors since 2021, sharing the lessons he’s learned on and off the field.
Lessons that have been paying off in wins on and off the field as the team barrels through the TAPPS playoff bracket.
“His energy is infectious. It makes you want to play harder,” said Cooper Witten, one of Jason’s sons and a standout player on the team. His brother, C.J., echoed the sentiment, describing their dad’s coaching style in one word: “Passion.”
Since retiring from the NFL, Witten has been wearing a different kind of silver and blue with the Warriors.
“I have always had great respect for high school coaches,” Witten said. “I have an opportunity to pour into young men every day and try to positively impact them.”
It’s a full-circle moment for Witten, whose own high school coach—his grandfather—was a pivotal figure in his life. After moving in with his grandparents at age 11 to escape an abusive home, Witten credits his grandfather with shaping the man he is today.
“My grandfather was my high school football coach and really kind of a great mentor to me,” he said.
Now, as a high school coach himself, Witten is paying that mentorship forward, leading the team to a TAPPS state title last year and on a path that readies them for life, too. His players, including his sons, are learning what it takes to meet the high expectations that come with having an NFL icon as a coach—and a dad.
“There is no plays off,” said C.J. “Every mistake you make is amplified.”
Cooper added, “Whether at school or football, we give all our effort to every play because we know everyone’s watching.”
The pressure is immense, but the Witten brothers embrace it.
“It’s a challenge that you openly embrace because it’s like that’s what sets you apart, you know, and that’s just the standard,” said C.J., who will play linebacker at Rice University next year.
Cooper, a sophomore, is already fielding offers from major college programs, including the SEC, ACC, and Big 12 as a sophomore. For Witten, coaching isn’t just about football. It’s about preparing his players after they’re done with it.
“It’s teaching, it’s coaching, it’s what you love,” he said. “When they get to college and get out of college, they become husbands and fathers and businessmen. When life hits them—maybe something happened in our program, or they heard—they feel equipped for real life.”
This philosophy extends to his sons. In a 2014 interview with WFAA, a young C.J. and Cooper joined their dad to feed people experiencing homelessness during Thanksgiving week, an early glimpse into the values Witten has instilled in them.
“Just beyond proud of them and who they are as young men,” Witten said. “And it’s not easy, you know, being a Cowboys player’s son, and now he’s your coach. But they’re great football players, but they’re better young men. And that’s what we’re most proud of.”
The feeling is mutual, too.
“He could be anywhere, coaching anywhere in this world,” said Cooper. “He chose to be here with us and give it his all every single day.”
C.J. added, “This is rare, and, like, he doesn’t have to, you know, and it’s like, it’s really, really special. So I try not to take that for granted.”
While many NFL retirees might opt for a TV analyst role or a quiet life of golf and leisure, Witten chose a different path.
“There’s great gratification that comes from seeing young men commit to something, putting the team first, being unselfish, and then seeing the reward for it on the back end,” he said. “That’s been very rewarding for me.”
As both a coach and a father, Witten’s journey is a testament to his enduring love for football and the values it teaches.
“How many dads can say they’ve seen every single snap and practice their son’s been a part of?” he said.