What being a Cowboy means to Jason Witten

Post columnist Steve Serby caught up with veteran Cowboys tight end Jason Witten before Dallas' playoff showdown with the Lions on Sunday.

Q: Is it different wearing the star on the helmet?
A: Oh, absolutely, 100 percent. It's that marquee franchise, and there's a lot that comes with that — a lot of good, but also a lot of criticism when you don't have success. So, I think as players, you really grow together. … You share the highs and lows of wearing the star on your helmet. From that standpoint, I think it brings you closer in having a shared commitment.

Q: What do you like best about this Cowboys team?
A: I think what I like about it the most is back in April when we started, we lost some key guys, and no one really thought we were gonna be any good. … Everybody was, 'Ah, they'll be lucky to be 6-10," you know? And our team did an unbelievable job back then of just saying, "It's not about having a chip on your shoulder, it's not about anything else other than, " 'Go play and execute and do what winning teams do, and to get in those situations.' " We practiced it, we talked about it, we looked back, had to look ourself in the mirror on some of those key games that we came up short, and then we really did something about it. The whole year I felt like it's a close-knit group. I feel like we have an identity of a style of football that we play when you watch, the way we run the ball behind that offensive line … real efficient in the pass game … really solid on special teams … defensively, they play 100 miles an hour.

Q: What is quarterback Tony Romo's frame of mind right now? Does he seem more relaxed this season to you?
A: It's been an interesting year for him. I think going back to what I was talking about in April, he's coming off back surgery, he's 34 years old … and he's just had an unbelievable will about him the entire time of being upbeat and positive even though he was rehabbing and he knew it was gonna be a long couple of months. … I think he's really confident right now. He's putting all of us — Dez [Bryant] , myself, [Cole] Beasley, Terrance [Williams] — he's putting all of us in really good positions to be successful. And I think that's the ultimate sign of a really good quarterback, in he makes everyone around him better because of the way he plays, and the position he puts 'em in. A big reason why we're in the situation of playing in the postseason is because of how efficient and how good he was as a quarterback.

Witten and RomoPhoto: Getty Images

Q: Are you guys driven to get to the Super Bowl?
A: Oh, no question. When you come to a franchise, there's always these different points in your career — look, we have higher expectations for ourselves, than anybody can put on us. So when you come up short, it's tough. … As we say here, it's like, "Yeah, we won the NFC East, but we weren't just playing to try to be one of 12 [teams that make the playoffs]. Our ultimate goal was to really try to make a run in the postseason.

Q: Does this team have a legitimate Super Bowl chance?
A: When you get in the playoffs, I think absolutely, every team's got a chance, and a good one. I think our style of play kinda matches up well for this time of year, but again, you gotta go do it. And that's whether you're the No. 1 seed or the 6 seed or anything in between.

Q: What makes Dez Bryant unique?
A: I think for one, his passion and love for the game of football leaps off at you every time you go to practice or a game. He loves playing, he loves playing for his teammates, he's competitive. He's got a killer instinct about him that he wants to be the one to make the play and he puts himself in that day after day. He's a fabulous athlete, he can jump, he can run, he can catch unbelievably well. More than anything, he's the biggest competitor I've ever been around in my life. To see the way he's grown and the way he's developed — not only on the field, but off the field — it's been amazing to watch, to be a part of. I don't know that anybody's playing the position better than he is right now.

Q: What's it been like playing for owner Jerry Jones?
A: It's been remarkable. The same things I said about Dez, he's very similar in the fact that to be at that point in life and have the success that he's had in the business world and football, I mean the passion, and the competitiveness … and the drive to be the next and see your team succeed. … You see it every single day. Having said that, his loyalty to his players, and I guess his compassion to want to see, wanting us to experience some of what they experienced in the '90s, I think that shows you what kind of man he is and how he wants others to experience that. It's not just about him, it's about bringing us along too. He's an unbelievable man how he treats us, and how he cares for you and teaches you, but at the same time, how he holds the standard really high. And when your owner brings that kind of drive and approach to be the best, I think everybody in the organization is better because of his approach, from coaching staff to players to everybody in the building.

Witten hugs Murray after a score.Photo: AP

Q: Describe running back DeMarco Murray.
A: One of the young, bright stars, one of my favorite guys on this team. Humble, tough, loves playing ball, loves playing with his teammates. A little bit of an old-school player, but the ultimate team guy. An old-fashioned, good running back that plays the game the right way.

Q: Coach Jason Garrett.
A: He's smart, he's competitive, tough, but he's also inspirational, motivating. He has a formula, and he sticks to that formula, and he doesn't deviate from what's in the best interests of the football team, and making his players better.

Q: Offensive guard Zack Martin.
A: For a rookie to come in on the offensive line and have the success he's had — he's big, he's strong, he can run, he's tough — but he's likens 10-year veteran as a rookie, that's what's amazing. He brings it every day, he's a lunchpail-type offensive lineman. The game is gonna be a lot better for the next 10 years having Zack Martin in it because he's got all the traits that already he's a star, but he goes about it the right way, a real pro.

Q: Tight ends coach Mike Pope.
A: Coach Pope, he's been great for me. Just a blessing to be able to get him in Year 12 of my career. … The vision that he has, and the ability to be able to kinda set the bar even higher. Unbelievable communicator, drive … and he's a winner. The ultimate compliment in my mind that you can say about a coach is he makes everyone around them better, and that's what Coach Pope has done.

Q: What is your best Bill Parcells anecdote?
A: I got a lot of those, but … I guess my best story with him was when I broke my jaw in my rookie year, and I went in for surgery, I stayed a couple of nights in the hospital, and when I came back in, he immediately was like, "You gonna possibly miss a game? Mark Bavaro came back in the same game with a broken jaw." He brought baby food in there, like some baby sweet potatoes, into the training room and said, "Listen, we gotta keep that weight on, and you gotta eat this baby food." And he was really serious about it. I'm just so thankful that I had an opportunity to play for him as a young player — not only to teach me the game the way he did, but really the first guy to believe in me that said, "Hey man, you can be a good player in this league," and so Bill was the ultimate motivator, and I'll forever be grateful for that experience to be able to come into the NFL and play for him as the head coach.

Q: What is your best moment as a Cowboy?
A: I would have to say in 2007 when we finished 13-3 and made it to the second round. I guess a specific play would be the Philadelphia Eagles play when my helmet came off — not because of the publicity that came with that play — rather, if there's a play in which you wanted to be defined on how you play, I hope that play kinda represents it. That '07 team was a special team to be on.

Q: What is your most bitter defeat?
A: It would probably have to be that same year when the Giants went on to win the Super Bowl. We played 'em in the second round here, and we were kinda in control of the game, and they came back and won it at the end. They went on and won a Super Bowl. They deserved it.

Witten's frozen stiff-arm to Washington's Perry RileyPhoto: AP

Q: Describe your on-field mentality.
A: Just to be a complete pro. And what I mean by that is, I really believe in you prepare yourself throughout offseason, throughout training camp, you gotta lay out expectations for yourself. Nobody more critical on yourself than you can be as an individual. And then, when the game comes, you gotta go own it. If it's a block at the point of attack, that's what I want to do. I don't want 'em to bring another tackle in, I want to be the guy that can do that. If it's catching a 10-yard for a hook route for a first down on third-and-10, that's what I want to do. I think just doing your job, doing it with integrity and consistency that guys should know like, hey, that's how you do it. And I hope that doing it that way, and doing it the right way, is the way I want to be remembered on the field.

Q: You've missed one game in your career (broken jaw), and you played after you lacerated your spleen in preseason 2012.
A: I was healed, I had to wait till the last minute to get cleared to play. But I felt good with the spleen.

Q: That will be part of your legacy.
A: I love playing football, I love playing in the National Football League. … There's nothing like it. So for me, every opportunity I get, I want to take advantage of and go play.

Q: Tony Romo called you maybe the best Cowboy ever. Who would you put in the conversation?

Bob Lilly in 2004Photo: WireImage

A: There's a lot of good ones. You can go back a long time. Bob Lilly, when I came here, that's all everybody talked about was, he was Mr. Cowboy. A pro's pro on and off the field. Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin, of course Emmitt [Smith]. But I think the ultimate Cowboy is Roger Staubach and the way that he set the standard for how you play and how you handle yourself as a pro.

Q: You love the Martin Luther King Jr. quote, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
A: We find out what we're about when we face challenges, and in pro football, that's the ultimate deal. When you get in tough situations, when you have adversity, what's in you inside? As you asked earlier, why I love this team and what's special about this team, that's it, is that we do it for each other, and we're at our best when we're in challenging situations.

Q: Who are other tight ends you admired.
A: I think Tony Gonzalez always set the standard. He was the guy that, I think for all of us, when I came in that was really kinda taking this league over as the tight end position. I think Shannon Sharpe was another one. … There was a period there where there was a little bit of a drop off in the position, and then I felt like Tony and Shannon kinda brought it back that you can be a difference-maker and create mismatches. I think even younger, Jay Novacek, Mark Bavaro — I felt like Mark was the guy that was just kind of then ultimate guy's guy tight end in the way he blocked and caught tough passes, and wasn't afraid to get hit.

Q: What was it like blocking Michael Strahan?
A: I think, for me, when he came back, and he lost about 40 pounds, really leaned up, that was even when he was at his best. He could rush the passer, he could bull you, he could beat you speed inside and quickness. Those are long days when you had Michael Strahan lining up right over your head for 60 minutes, because most defensive ends are good at one or the other. Michael was really good at both.

Q: You go up against Detroit defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh next.
A: It's a heckuva challenge for us. We'll try to match that same physicality when we play him.

Q: Why was Junior Seau your boyhood idol?

The late Junior SeauPhoto: AP

A: I played linebacker in high school, and I loved his emotion, enthusiasm, the way he played the game, he was an unbelievable leader, so I was just always amazed at that, that's why my first couple of years in high school I was No. 55 because of the way he played in San Diego.

Q: You've told the story of your abusive father growing up. What's your relationship with him now?
A: It's good. … I don't see him often. … I know he made a lot of mistakes and he'd be the first to tell you. But at the time, we all have to move on. There was also a lot of good things that he taught me. I was fortunate to be able to have my grandparents and my grandfather [Dave Rider] was a coach, my mom, who was able to get us out of those situations. It was unfortunate what happened, and how it kinda went down, but I think looking back on it, I know he knows he made mistakes, so yeah, I forgive him for that, and moved on.

Q: Does he follow your career now?
A: Yeah, he follows it. I know he's proud, and I know he's a fan of the game.

Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Michael Jordan, just 'cause I think he's the greatest athlete of all time; Abraham Lincoln, I feel like he was a game-changer in a lot of ways; President Obama, the ultimate leader of our country.

Q: Favorite meal?
A: I'm a steak and potato guy.

Q: Favorite movie?
A: "Shawshank Redemption."

Q: Favorite actor?
A: Denzel Washington.

Q: Favorite actress?
A: Reese Witherspoon.

Q: Favorite entertainer?
A: Coldplay.

Q: How long do you want to continue playing?
A: I don't know, I feel good, I feel like I can still play at a high level. I love playing football. I feel like we have some unfinished business here I. Dallas the way the last three years have gone. I kinda take it year by year, but I feel good right now.

Q: What drives you?
A: To be great. … I have a deep desire to have success, to play a high level, and to win championships.

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