Move over Michael Irvin, here comes Jason Witten.
The Cowboys tight end passed Irvin as the team’s all-time leader in receiving yards. Irvin had 11,904 yards in his career.
Witten had a second-quarter catch for 11 yards, giving him 11,906 for his career. The 15-year veteran entered the game needing 17 yards to pass the Hall of Famer.
“I’m honored to be able to pass it,” Witten said Thursday. “I think I’ve been fortunate to have a couple of those NFL records and they’re always special, especially when you understand the storied history of the NFL. But I don’t know, I guess being around here for so long, maybe as much as anything is the team records. I think it’s just getting to know the guys, being a fan of them, so many great players to come in and play for this organization. Michael represented that, the stories I’ve heard that he emptied the bucket every single day. That’s certainly what I’ve tried to do. Many days it’s hard and it’s a struggle to get out of bed, but you keep pressing forward and you pursue that excellence. To be able to pass him, it’s a huge honor for me because I know what he was all about. Not only a Hall of Fame player, but how he approached the game.”
Witten now owns several team records, including most receptions. On Sunday night, he tied Ed Jones for most games played (224) in Cowboys history.