Tight bond: Witten learns from Novacek
By TODD ARCHER /
The Dallas Morning News
SAN ANTONIO – As the Cowboys ran through special teams drills Friday, Jason Witten and Jay Novacek, two of the best tight ends in team history, chatted.
The conversation lasted about six minutes, but the effect was felt.
"He was so patient on his routes," Witten said. "He was telling me how if things open up don't move too fast because you can cover yourself up, take that extra yard and then make your break."
Witten first met Novacek in 2003, his rookie year, and the two have had a number of conversations over the years. But with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett using largely the same passing game Novacek excelled in with Troy Aikman, Witten has spent more time picking his brain.
Witten and Tony Romo have developed a rapport both on and off the field that Witten believes will be beneficial as the years go by.
"He told me Troy always knew where 84 was all the time," Witten said.
Novacek aw-shucked his way through comparisons with Witten, saying, "he's a lot better than that. Come on."
But from 1990-96 Novacek served as Aikman's security blanket. From 1991-95, Novacek made the Pro Bowl and the Cowboys won three Super Bowls. In that span, he caught 280 passes for 2,919 yards and 18 touchdowns.
In Witten's four years, he has crept up on Novacek's career totals for catches (339) and receiving yards (3,576), both franchise highs for a tight end. Witten has posted 252 catches for 2,838 yards in 63 career games and has been to the Pro Bowl the last three seasons.
"I'm selling him more than what people are giving him credit for," Novacek said. "The thing that I see is his composure, his ability to always be in the right place and right time and not making mistakes."
Growing up in Elizabethton, Tenn., Witten was a huge Novacek fan.
"The Cowboys were winning Super Bowls, that was the biggest thing as a kid," Witten said. "And he was a key player."
When they met in '03, Witten was nervous meeting one of his idols and Novacek remembered Witten's anxiousness to succeed.
"He is able to learn and able to comprehend what you can tell him," Novacek said. "That was Bill [Parcells'] first year and it was tough for everyone to stay focused and do the right thing, but he made it through with flying colors."
Parcells harped on Witten to be a complete player, which meant improving his blocking, something Witten takes pride in.
In Garrett's system, the tight end will continue to be a featured part, but in different ways. Witten can line up wide or be used in motion more to make it difficult for defenses, especially with Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens on the outside.
That's fine with coach Wade Phillips, who witnessed Antonio Gates' work in San Diego.
"A Pro Bowl player like Witten, anytime you have the two outside receivers that we have, you want to stop them and double those guys," Phillips said. "You have to put a linebacker on the tight end, and that's what you want."
The Dallas Morning News
SAN ANTONIO – As the Cowboys ran through special teams drills Friday, Jason Witten and Jay Novacek, two of the best tight ends in team history, chatted.
The conversation lasted about six minutes, but the effect was felt.
"He was so patient on his routes," Witten said. "He was telling me how if things open up don't move too fast because you can cover yourself up, take that extra yard and then make your break."
Witten first met Novacek in 2003, his rookie year, and the two have had a number of conversations over the years. But with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett using largely the same passing game Novacek excelled in with Troy Aikman, Witten has spent more time picking his brain.
Witten and Tony Romo have developed a rapport both on and off the field that Witten believes will be beneficial as the years go by.
"He told me Troy always knew where 84 was all the time," Witten said.
Novacek aw-shucked his way through comparisons with Witten, saying, "he's a lot better than that. Come on."
But from 1990-96 Novacek served as Aikman's security blanket. From 1991-95, Novacek made the Pro Bowl and the Cowboys won three Super Bowls. In that span, he caught 280 passes for 2,919 yards and 18 touchdowns.
In Witten's four years, he has crept up on Novacek's career totals for catches (339) and receiving yards (3,576), both franchise highs for a tight end. Witten has posted 252 catches for 2,838 yards in 63 career games and has been to the Pro Bowl the last three seasons.
"I'm selling him more than what people are giving him credit for," Novacek said. "The thing that I see is his composure, his ability to always be in the right place and right time and not making mistakes."
Growing up in Elizabethton, Tenn., Witten was a huge Novacek fan.
"The Cowboys were winning Super Bowls, that was the biggest thing as a kid," Witten said. "And he was a key player."
When they met in '03, Witten was nervous meeting one of his idols and Novacek remembered Witten's anxiousness to succeed.
"He is able to learn and able to comprehend what you can tell him," Novacek said. "That was Bill [Parcells'] first year and it was tough for everyone to stay focused and do the right thing, but he made it through with flying colors."
Parcells harped on Witten to be a complete player, which meant improving his blocking, something Witten takes pride in.
In Garrett's system, the tight end will continue to be a featured part, but in different ways. Witten can line up wide or be used in motion more to make it difficult for defenses, especially with Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens on the outside.
That's fine with coach Wade Phillips, who witnessed Antonio Gates' work in San Diego.
"A Pro Bowl player like Witten, anytime you have the two outside receivers that we have, you want to stop them and double those guys," Phillips said. "You have to put a linebacker on the tight end, and that's what you want."
posted by The Gryphon at 6:52 PM
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