Witten, 35, was an ironman at tight end, playing 15 games in his rookie season, and 16 every season thereafter.
Jason Witten is ending his N.F.L. playing career after more games as a Dallas Cowboy than any other player.
ESPN and other media outlets reported that he would be joining “Monday Night Football” as an analyst.
A third-round pick out of Tennessee, Witten, 35, was an ironman at tight end, playing 15 games in his rookie season and 16 every season thereafter. He had 11 Pro Bowl selections, including last season. He caught 1,152 passes for more than 12,000 yards, both Cowboys records. He ranks fourth in the N.F.L. in catches behind Jerry Rice, Tony Gonzalez and Larry Fitzgerald.
Of the many great plays he made over the years for the Cowboys, one of the most remembered came in 2007 when his helmet was knocked off after a reception against the Eagles and he ran another 30 yards without it.
But Witten played in an era when the Cowboys had more playoff disappointments than successes. His career playoff record is 2-6, and he never got to a conference championship game.
Though Witten had five touchdowns last season, his receptions (63) and his yardage (560) were both the lowest since his rookie season.
It has been a time of change in Dallas. Tony Romo, the Cowboys’ quarterback from 2006 to 2015, retired a year ago and also headed to the broadcast booth. The team r eleased wide receiver Dez Bryant after eight years, and he has not found a new team yet.
That means the Cowboys have lost their top two receivers in terms of catches last season. Still on the team are Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley. The Cowboys also signed Allen Hurns from the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency last month.
The Cowboys did draft a tight end last month, Dalton Schultz of Stanford, in the fourth round, as well as two wide receivers.
