Jason Witten, the former Dallas Cowboys tight end, is reportedly taking over as offensive play-caller for the University of Oklahoma. This bombshell news, first reported by SoonerScoop.com, drops right in the middle of the season, following the in-season firing of the Sooners’ offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle. Witten, only 44 years old, has been serving as Oklahoma’s tight ends coach, and now he is jumping straight into the offensive driver’s seat.
From High School Fields to Big-Time College Offense
It feels like Witten has fast-tracked his way into the college coaching world. Before joining Oklahoma as tight ends coach, he was cutting his teeth in high-school coaching since 2021. This is his very first year coaching at the college level, and suddenly, he is the guy with the headset calling the shots for a major program. You have to wonder what kind of offensive scheme he is going to roll out and how quickly he can put his stamp on that unit. It is a massive leap for a coach in his first year, and all eyes will be on Oklahoma to see how it plays out.
Is This The Path To “America’s Team”?
For years, the talk around Jason Witten has been about his inevitable return to the Dallas Cowboys, not just as a coach, but potentially as the head coach of “America’s team” itself. He spent 15 seasons dominating for the Cowboys, even making a brief comeback in 2019 after a stint on Monday Night Football, and then played for the Raiders in 2020. There has always been a strong “sense” that Witten is destined for the Dallas staff, whether as an assistant or eventually running the whole show. Taking on the play-calling duties at Oklahoma is a huge test, a chance to prove his chops in a high-pressure environment. If he succeeds, it is only going to fuel the speculation even more. This move feels less about just Oklahoma and more about Jason Witten making a very public, very high-stakes audition for his ultimate coaching dream.
What does this mean for Witten’s coaching future? Every single game from here on out at Oklahoma will be scrutinized, not just by Sooners fans, but by everyone tracking his rise, especially those in Dallas. This is the next critical step on a coaching path that many believe is leading straight back to the Cowboys, and he is taking it with a huge, immediate responsibility.
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Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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