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Former Vols star Jason Witten of the Cowboys inexplicably left out of Gil Brandt’s Top 10 NFL TE’s of all time

By Caleb Calhoun

Jun 13, 2017; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) works out during minicamp at The Star at Cowboys World Headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2017; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) works out during minicamp at The Star at Cowboys World Headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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NFL writer Gil Brandt’s all-time tight ends list inexplicably left former Tennessee Volunteers star Jason Witten of Dallas outside of his top 10.

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Gil Brandt spent nearly 30 years as an executive with the Dallas Cowboys. But the now-senior analyst for NFL.com can’t seem to find any love for former Vols star Jason Witten in his new list.

Brandt’s top 14 tight ends of all time somehow managed to drop Witten all the way down at…No. 14.

Yes, the guy who ranks second all time in career receptions and receiving yards only to Tony Gonzalez for an NFL tight end ranks No. 14.

So who ranks ahead of him?

Well, Gonzalez is one of the guys. Fair enough.

But then there’s Kellen Winslow, John Mackey, Dave Casper, Mike Ditka, Ozzie Newsome, Charlie Sanders, Jackie Smith, and Russ Francis.

The reason all of those guys were mentioned is because Brandt is clearly showing a bias to the old tight ends. By those guys he’s showing an affinity for the ones who could block and not just loving the receivers.

Fine, but then why does he have Gonzalez ahead of Witten? After all, Witten is a much better blocker.

And then there are three other guys he put ahead of Witten, who just happen to be great receivers only: Antonio Gates, Shannon Sharpe and Rob Gronkowski.

Seriously? What do any of them have over Witten?

They aren’t better pass-catchers if you go by the numbers. And Witten is considered to be a much better blocker than all of them. So in what universe could those guys be better tight ends?

And then there’s the guy that makes your head explode above all others. That would be Greg Olsen, whom Brandt put ahead of Witten at No. 13.

Olsen is solid, but in no way is he a greater tight end of all time than Witten. How does that happen?

This is honestly ridiculously unfair to Witten. He has spent his whole career not getting the respect he deserves.

It dates back to the 2003 NFL Draft when he fell to a later round and was described as a lesser Jeremy Shockey.

Then, when he turned into a go-to target because of his greatness, he became the face of a rift that Terrell Owens created in the locker room.

And now, after being a consistent tight end and a leader for over a decade, Witten can’t get the respect he deserves as making a case to be the greatest tight end of all time.

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It’s absurd, and Brandt’s article is just one more level of disrespect directed towards him.

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