Tacoma math teacher Jon Kitna returns to NFL as Cowboys’ backup quarterback
Dec 26, 2013, 6:44 AM | Updated: 7:07 am
Starting quarterback Tony Romo might not be able to play Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The winner of that game gets into the playoffs. Jon Kitna, 41, was brought in to be ready should something happen to backup Kyle Orton. (AP Photo/File)
(AP Photo/File)
Former NFL quarterback and current Lincoln High School math teacher in Tacoma Jon Kitna is giving up at least one week of his Christmas vacation.
He’s working, but not on geometry or algebra. Kitna, 41, will be on the sidelines with the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday.
Dallas signed Kitna out of retirement as an insurance policy, in case things really went bad for the team.
Starting quarterback Tony Romo might not be able to play Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. The winner of that game gets into the playoffs. Kitna was brought in to be ready should something happen to backup Kyle Orton.
“We felt like when we looked at the landscape of guys who could help us on short notice Kitna was a guy who kind of rose to the top of that,” said Coach Jason Garrett. “We have great history with him, he’s been a heck of a football player in this league for a long time. He started a lot of games for us, knows this offense, knows this environment and we felt like on short notice he would give us the best chance if he did, in fact, have to play in a ball game.”
Kitna actually reached-out to Coach Garrett, texting him on Christmas Eve. Kitna retired from the Cowboys and the NFL in 2012. He took his last snaps in 2011 when he started nine games for the Cowboys.
When he retired, Kitna told the NFL Network, “A lot of guys have to think about what they’re going to do when they get done, I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do. I just did my student teaching and earned my degree in mathematics education and I’m going to be a high school teacher. My whole life I’ve wanted to affect kids the way that I was affected and give kids some direction in life.”
Kitna led his old high school to an 8-and-2 record this year, and he told the NFL Network he is right where he belongs, “There’s no bigger influence in America than a football coach. Football is our god, it is. You ask a youth pastor do you get 100 kids in your youth group every week with undivided attention? I get them three hours a day – I better have something to teach them – beyond what the scoreboard says […] it better be more than that, cause if it’s not I’m going these kids a disservice.”
Kitna started 124 games in his 15-year NFL career. He has roughly 30,000 career passing yards.
He will make $53,000 for his week’s work in Dallas, but he’s not going to keep it. Kitna said he will donate every penny he makes with the Cowboys to Lincoln High School.
