Jason Witten 'invigorated' by return to Cowboys

Jason Witten is eager to get back on the football field following his one-year retirement that took him away from the Dallas Cowboys in 2018.

"I'm invigorated by the process of going back in there," Witten said Saturday, according to Grant Gordon of NFL.com. "I really feel like obviously I've got a lot of energy coming back in there. I'm excited, and I think you just get back in there. That's what I've enjoyed the most, getting with the guys, start looking at some tape and working out with coach (Mike) Woicik and the strength staff some."

The 36-year-old tight end retired abruptly last April to take a broadcasting job on Monday Night Football. His return to the Cowboys was equally sudden, as the team announced Feb. 28 that he was coming out of retirement to rejoin the team.

"I said it when I retired a year ago: I don't know that anybody really knows when it's their time to go. And I was no different," he said. "Look, I had a great experience in the booth. I saw a different perspective. I saw the league from a different point of view in getting the opportunity to go see 31 other teams and how they build their team and go about it.

"But at the same time, I saw the Cowboys team start to come together and a lot of stars and young stars that love the game, and when Jerry (Jones) presented me that opportunity to come back, I was just extremely excited. I think more than anything else, it was just something that was tugging on me inside to say that maybe there's something still inside left to go out there and go after that championship."

Witten caught 63 passes for 560 yards and five touchdowns in 2017. Dallas is coming off a year in which it captured the NFC East title and won its first playoff game since 2014.