One of the all-time greats is backing a former Cowboy for the Hall of Fame.
Rob Gronkowski, the former Patriots tight end who won four Super Bowls beside Tom Brady, is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year along with his former coach, Bill Belichick. It’s the first year Gronkowski is eligible after he retired in 2021.
With four rings, four first-team All-Pro nods and the third-most touchdown receptions by a tight end in NFL history, Gronk is a virtual lock to get into the Hall of Fame on his first go. But in a recent discussion with NBC, the Fox studio analyst pushed another tight end with a great shot at the Hall this season: Cowboys great Jason Witten.
“He was one of the most consistent tight ends,” Gronkowski told NBC. “And not just a tight end, he’s one of the most consistent football players of all time, and he’s definitely deserving.”
Consistency was indeed perhaps the greatest aspect of Witten’s career. He played 16 seasons with the Cowboys and one in Las Vegas, totaling 60-plus receptions in all but two of his 17 seasons. He’s first all-time in Cowboys history in catches and receiving yards, and second in touchdowns. His 255 games with the star on his helmet are the most in team history.
Witten was eligible for the Hall last season, but failed to make the cut. If he and Gronkowski were both inducted into the same class, it’d be the first time ever that two tight ends were inducted together.
“[Witten] is a phenomenal player; he was such a consistent player,” Gronkowski said. “That’s what makes a great football player great. It’s not just making a play every so often; it’s making a play every single time you need to make a play and be consistent out on the football field.”
Finalists for the Hall of Fame are narrowed down throughout the NFL season with the final selection vote held right before the Super Bowl.