As it turns out, it was a text message that led to Jon Kitna’s return to the Dallas Cowboys.
Kitna, who spent the year coaching football at Lincoln High School in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington, sent a message to head coach Jason Garrett when he heard the reports that Tony Romo had suffered a herniated disc that would end his season, asking if the team could use some help.
Garrett’s first reaction was to ask if Kitna, who spent 2010 and 2011 in Dallas as Romo’s backup, was serious.
"He said, ‘Absolutely,’" Garrett said, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "He was excited about it. He spoke to his family about it, and it just made sense to us."
Kitna is content in retirement, but his familiarity with Jason Garrett’s system led him to believe he could be of some assistance to his old team in their time of need.
"It’s not like I have been sitting around trying to stay in shape hoping I get another shot. My career is done. I was happy with that," Kitna said. "I just knew the situation that they were in. Being down here, I felt like I might be able to help in an emergency situation, just be able to, the functionality of running a play in the NFL. So I just felt like if he felt like it was worth a shot I would be willing to do it."
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