OXNARD, Calif. – Mike Pope has been coaching tight ends in the NFL since the early 1980s. He’s coached Pro Bowlers like Mark Bavaro, Rodney Holman, Ben Coates, Stephen Alexander and Jeremy Shockey.
But none of them are on the same level as Jason Witten.
“He just amazes you with the things he does,” Pope said Friday. “He’s so smart, he could be the quarterback. He knows everything that’s going on. He talks to our team and they’re on the edge of their seats. They listen to him. They respect him so much. He takes that on to say, ‘I can’t loaf one play.