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Oklahoma has finalized a deal to hire Dallas Cowboys legend Jason Witten as tight ends coach, sources tell CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz. Witten will replace Joe Jon Finley on Brent Venables' staff in Norman.  

This will be Witten's first coaching job at the collegiate level. Since 2021 he has been the head coach at Dallas' Liberty Christian School, where he mentors his son, Cooper, the No. 1 linebacker prospect in the class of 2027, per 247Sports. Witten led Liberty to back-to-back state titles from 2023-24. In 2023, Witten also guided Liberty to its first unbeaten season in school history. 

A former third-round pick out of Tennessee in the 2003 NFL Draft, Witten, 43, spent 16 total seasons with the Cowboys. In that span, he was an 11-time Pro Bowler, a two-time first-team All-Pro and a two-time second-team All-Pro. Witten had at least 700 yards receiving each year from 2004-15. Last month, Witten was named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2026 in his first year of eligibility.

He holds Dallas franchise records for career receptions (1,215) and yards receiving (12,977). His 72 touchdown receptions rank second in franchise history behind Dez Bryant's 73. Witten's 1,228 receptions and 13,046 career yards are also second all-time among NFL tight ends. 

Witten initially stepped away from football in 2018 after 15 straight seasons with the Cowboys but then elected to return to Dallas for the 2019 season. He then spent the 2020 campaign with the Las Vegas Raiders before signing a one-day contract with Dallas in Jan. 2021 so he could officially retire as a Cowboy.

Witten joins an Oklahoma program coming off a College Football Playoff appearance in Venables' fourth season on the job. The Sooners lost in the first round to Alabama to finish the year with a 10-3 record. Venables is 32-20 overall at Oklahoma, including a 16-10 mark (8-8 SEC) in the program's first two seasons as a member of the SEC.