| 1 | 1 | | 86R816 JCD-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Raymond H.R. No. 11 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Tight end Jason Witten announced his retirement from |
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| 7 | 7 | | the Dallas Cowboys in May 2018, concluding an illustrious |
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| 8 | 8 | | professional football career that spanned 15 seasons; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, After spending his early childhood in Washington, |
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| 10 | 10 | | D.C., Jason Witten moved to Elizabethton, Tennessee, where he |
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| 11 | 11 | | garnered numerous honors as a high school player; he went on to |
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| 12 | 12 | | attain further glory at the University of Tennessee, finding his |
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| 13 | 13 | | niche as the Volunteers' tight end; following an impressive junior |
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| 14 | 14 | | season, he was selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the |
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| 15 | 15 | | 2003 NFL draft; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, The longest tenured player to ever wear the Dallas |
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| 17 | 17 | | uniform, Mr. Witten holds the franchise records in receptions, |
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| 18 | 18 | | receiving yards, catches in a single game, games played and |
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| 19 | 19 | | started, and consecutive games played and started; moreover, his |
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| 20 | 20 | | impressive total of 1,152 catches ranks fourth best in NFL history; |
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| 21 | 21 | | this outstanding athlete further distinguished himself as an |
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| 22 | 22 | | 11-time Pro Bowl selection, and he received All-Pro honors on four |
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| 23 | 23 | | occasions; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Witten is also renowned for his philanthropic |
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| 25 | 25 | | work; he established the SCORE Foundation to support a range of |
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| 26 | 26 | | worthwhile endeavors, and he has been particularly active in |
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| 27 | 27 | | initiatives to reduce domestic violence; in recognition of his |
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| 28 | 28 | | efforts, he was named the 2012 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year; |
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| 29 | 29 | | and |
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| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, An exemplary role model both on and off the field, |
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| 31 | 31 | | Jason Witten has earned the lasting respect of his fellow players |
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| 32 | 32 | | and the admiration of countless fans, and his superb performance |
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| 33 | 33 | | through a decade and a half of NFL competition has earned him a |
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| 34 | 34 | | special place in the pantheon of legendary Dallas Cowboys; now, |
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| 35 | 35 | | therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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| 37 | 37 | | Legislature hereby honor Jason Witten on his successful career with |
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| 38 | 38 | | the Dallas Cowboys and extend to him sincere best wishes for the |
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| 39 | 39 | | future; and, be it further |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 41 | 41 | | prepared for Mr. Witten as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 42 | 42 | | House of Representatives. |
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