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Jason Witten "Unretires"
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 7:50 pm
by 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.
Re: Jason Witten "Unretires"
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 7:52 pm
by 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
Re: Jason Witten "Unretires"
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 8:43 pm
by TanksAndSpartans
Bronko Nagurski came back in '43
Re: Jason Witten "Unretires"
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 11:00 pm
by 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.
Re: Jason Witten "Unretires"
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 10:30 am
by ChrisBabcock
Ricky Williams
Re: Jason Witten "Unretires"
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 10:59 am
by slats7
Too Tall Jones retired in 1979 (boxing) then returned the following season.
Re: Jason Witten "Unretires"
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 11:08 am
by 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.
Re: Jason Witten "Unretires"
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 11:10 am
by Gary Najman
Morten Andersen didn't play in 2005, but he came back for two more seasons with the Falcons.
Re: Jason Witten "Unretires"
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 11:21 am
by SixtiesFan
Frank Gifford "retired" after the Bednarik hit late in the 1960 season. Gifford came back to the Giants in 1962, played through 1964.
Re: Jason Witten "Unretires"
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2019 12:15 pm
by Bryan
Didn't Steve DeBerg have a huge layoff before reappearing with the Falcons?