What seemed like a dream scenario became reality, but it's still hard for some Oklahoma fans to actually believe, even after seeing it for the first time.
The Sooners over the offseason hired future Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Witten as their new tight ends coach to replace the fired Joe Jon Finley. OU started spring camp on Wednesday, so Witten essentially made his college coaching debut and gave fans the first sight of seeing the NFL great actually coaching for the Sooners thanks to media video from practice.
Oklahoma starts spring ball with Jason Witten debuting as tight ends coach
Yes, Jason Witten is actually the tight ends coach at the University of Oklahoma
— Josh Callaway (@JoshMCallaway) March 25, 2026
Here's a look at Witten at his first official practice on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/ORmN2Gyzsh
This is so surreal.. it's like a dream I had 20 years ago come to life... #BoomerSooner #DallasCowboys https://t.co/vlTUS8igkO
— Jeremy'Spoken(WC) (@dubyac30) March 26, 2026
Just a bunch of @OU_Football tight ends getting coached up by Jason Witten. No big deal 🤣 https://t.co/dA5dURlvd4
— The Football Dudes (@footballdudesLA) March 26, 2026
Oh yeah, Jason Witten is in Norman now. #Sooners pic.twitter.com/pVpOmQCscB
— Jesse Crittenden (@JesseCrittenden) March 25, 2026
Witten played tight end in the NFL for 17 seasons between the Dallas Cowboys and one season with the Las Vegas Raiders after a brief retirement. He was an 11-time Pro Bowler, named First-Team All-Pro twice and was Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2012. He was a finalist to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.
Today, college football has The Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the FBS player who has demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field, according to the award's website.
After playing, Witten was the head coach at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, where he won two state championships while coaching his sons, including 2027 five-star linebacker Cooper Witten, who's committed to the Sooners. That's Witten's only real coaching experience, though, which was the only knock on the Sooners hiring him. However, OU head coach Brent Venables revealed Witten turned down jobs in the NFL to coach the Sooners this year.
The Sooners also surrounded Witten with an entirely new cast with three transfer additions in Florida's Hayden Hansen, Colorado State's Rocky Beers and Tennessee's Jack Van Dorselaer, who was Witten's first big recruiting win just days after getting the job.
Whether he's a risk or not, Witten has obviously given OU fans hope at a position they had been begging for change at for years, and even other fan bases can't believe the Sooners have a future Hall of Famer coaching their tight ends while OU fans are still pinching themselves.