Future Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Witten being the Oklahoma Sooners' next tight ends coach seemed like a dream hire, mostly because it didn't seem realistic, so many OU fans had to pinch themselves on Thursday, when news broke that Witten is expected to replace Joe Jon Finley as the Sooners' new tight ends coach.
Witten is a finalist to be in the next class of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees as an 11-time Pro Bowler, two-time First-Team All-Pro and 2012 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. He accomplished that in 16 seasons playing tight end for the Dallas Cowboys and one more season with the Las Vegas Raiders after a brief retirement. Since retiring, Witten had been the head coach at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, the last five years and ld the program to a pair of state championships.
Rumors of Witten being the Sooners' next tight ends coach surfaced on social media before there was even an opening. Then, after Finley was actually fired, Witten immediately emerged as the dream hire among most of Sooner Nation.
However, other than there just being an opening and former Cowboys teammate DeMarco Murray being on the coaching staff already, it seemed like a big reach for Witten to make the move and too big of a splash hire for Brent Venables, so (most) OU fans were ecstatic when news broke that it was actually reality.
Social media react to Sooners hiring Jason Witten as tight ends coach
Joe C dropped the mic on his way out LMAO I can’t believe this is real pic.twitter.com/mx1MpBGdTQ
— Dryfit Venables (@DryfitVenables) January 8, 2026
This is twice in the past year that the #Sooners have made a true jaw-on-the-floor type of hire.
— Parker Thune (@ParkerThune) January 8, 2026
The first was Jim Nagy, who is entirely overqualified to be a college football GM. And now an NFL Hall of Famer will coach tight ends at Oklahoma.
Insane.
Hiring Jason Witten as TE coach is essentially the biggest possible splash the #Sooners could've made.
— Jesse Crittenden (@JesseCrittenden) January 8, 2026
OU will head into 2026 with a completely different TE room, from top to bottom.
This has been an incredible week for Brent Venables, Jim Nagy and the entire program.
— The Oklahoma Breakdown with Ikard and Lehman (@OK_Breakdown) January 8, 2026
The years of suffering through Joe Jon Finley to turn around and hire HOF Jason Witten. Makes it almost worth it🔥📈🍻Cheers to 26’ Sooner fans. 2nd wave of Christmas is feeling spectacular 😈 pic.twitter.com/eGbKqLwO1r
— Top Tier Oklahoma (@TopTierOklahoma) January 8, 2026
The feelings that I’m having about Oklahoma in 2026 are feelings I shouldn’t have.
— Brewer Sooner (@BrewerSooner) January 8, 2026
We are over 200 days away and I need them to play tomorrow because the team is gonna be stupid good https://t.co/CL1ErwUYuP
Those that get to actually play for Witten were even more stoked.
Let’s do this thing!!🔥🔥 What a time to be an Oklahoma Sooner♦️♦️ https://t.co/2l2PuWJj90
— Hayden Hansen (@HaydenHansen89) January 8, 2026
— Ryder Mix (@ryder_mix) January 8, 2026
What were you doing when the Jason Witten news broke?
— Parker Thune (@ParkerThune) January 8, 2026
Rocky Beers, who committed to the #Sooners earlier this week with no knowledge of his future position coach’s identity, was playing Settlers of Catan when he got the news this afternoon. https://t.co/VuCwIjpWSt pic.twitter.com/Qq7q4RA4kG
🔥☝🏻 #BoomerSooner https://t.co/BwmbJqf0DS
— Parker Livingstone (@ParkerL06) January 8, 2026
— Bowe Bentley (@bowebentley) January 8, 2026