Jason Witten "Unretires"

[RRMarshall]

TE Jason Witten has announced he is returning to the Cowboys after a year spent in the broadcast booth. Any other examples of a player returning to football after being retired (not from injury or suspension)? I remember Sam "Bam" Cunningham of the Patriots came back in 1981 after sitting out all of the 1980 season on a contract hold out, but not many others. Coaches like Joe Gibbs sure, but I can't think of another player offhand.

[JohnTurney]

Gino Marchetti retired after 1964, as favor to Carrol Rosenbloom he came back in 1966.

Reggie White sat out a year, retired after 1998 then came back to Panthers in 2000

Charles Haley sat out 1997, due to injury . . . essentially retired

Randy Moss sat out 2011, not sure of the circumstances of that, maybe couldn't get signed

Deion Sanders retired sat out several years then back back

Sam Huff sat out 1967...retired then came back

[TanksAndSpartans]

Bronko Nagurski came back in '43

[Rupert Patrick]

John Riggins was perhaps the most famous example, as he was a very good player before his one-year retirement, but when he came back, he played at a even higher level, and the year off probably extended his career by allowing his body to heal somewhat from his punishing style of play.

[ChrisBabcock]

Ricky Williams

[slats7]

Too Tall Jones retired in 1979 (boxing) then returned the following season.

[lastcat3]

I wonder if this was an indication that Witten wasn't going to be long for the broadcasting booth. Didn't watch MNF that much this year but the times I did tune in he didn't seem that great to me (of course that might just be a natural comparison to Romo). I know a lot of players just have trouble leaving the game but I also know that a lot of former players also try their hand at broadcasting and for a lot of them it doesn't work out and they leave/get fired after a year or two.

[Gary Najman]

Morten Andersen didn't play in 2005, but he came back for two more seasons with the Falcons.

[SixtiesFan]

Frank Gifford "retired" after the Bednarik hit late in the 1960 season. Gifford came back to the Giants in 1962, played through 1964.

[Bryan]

Didn't Steve DeBerg have a huge layoff before reappearing with the Falcons?