The Dallas Cowboys have incorporated a Tennessee legend into their daily curriculum at offseason training camp, according to VFL Princeton Fant.
While speaking with SportsTalk’s Vince Ferrara in an interview from Dallas’ training camp this week, Fant revealed that there is plenty of tape going around of former Tennessee and former Cowboys legend Jason Witten. The 17-year veteran was a staple of the Cowboys’ teams in the 2000s and 2010s, and is widely regarded as one of the top tight ends in NFL history. He also put together a heck of a career while playing for the Tennessee Volunteers.
“I think it’s pretty dope,” Fant said, reflecting on how he shares the same position, college team, and NFL team with Witten. “We watch film of him every day, almost. Whether it’s on route, whether it’s blocking. Being able to see that and how much of a legacy that he left and how much of a big impact that he made at Tennessee and with the Dallas Cowboys – and also being one of the greatest tight ends to play football – I mean, I think it’s very special. Especially, me being a younger guy in the league, I think it’s cool to be able to lean on those guys when I’m studying, watching film, to watch how he would run a route, or how he would block on certain plays. So, I think that’s pretty dope.”
Fant spent six years at the University of Tennessee. He was a leader and an impact player of Tennessee’s breakout 2022 football team, catching 22 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns. He also recorded five rushing touchdowns on six attempts and one 66-yard passing touchdown during the season. He proved to be a valuable, reliable Swiss Army Knife that helped Tennessee blitz opposing defenses with new and creative looks.
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Fant signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He’s been primarily a practice squad player and special teams contributor during his time with the Cowboys, but is still working hard to improve his craft daily to help his team.
“Just like at Tennessee, man, it doesn’t change here. I’m a guy that will put the team first,” Fant said. “Wherever they need me at, in that moment, I’m always going to be ready to do that. Special teams, it’s a very important role in the league, as well as offense and defense. So just putting it together on special teams, going out there and making big plays, causing big fumbles on kickoff or getting my block on punts, kickoff return, punt return, different things like that, man, just doing my part.”
Jason Witten was a legend at Tennessee and even had his photo on the back of the Neyland Stadium jumbotron for three years. Right now, though, he’s on a different side of the SEC and will soon be in direct competition with the Vols.
After a superb high school coaching career over the last few years, Witten accepted a job as the Oklahoma Sooners’ tight ends coach this past offseason. Witten landed a commitment from his four-star son, Cooper, just a few months later, and also landed former Tennessee tight end Jack Van Dorselaer out of the transfer portal.
Assuming he’s still with the team over the next four years, Witten’s Sooners will match up against Josh Heupel’s Volunteers twice in that span. Oklahoma will host Tennessee during the 2027 season, and then the Vols will host the Sooners during the 2029 season.
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