NFC Notes: Saquon Barkley, Mekhi Becton, Jason Witten, Cowboys, Eagles,

Cowboys

The Cowboys made headlines when reports indicated former TE Jason Witten spoke to owner Jerry Jones about a potential position on Dallas’ coaching staff. However, Witten shot down those rumors, saying he never talked to Jones. 

“I did not talk to Jerry about it,” Witten said, via The Dallas Morning News. “I think they went through a thorough process for them and got to a place where they felt like Brian [Schottenheimer] was the guy. I’ve never worked with Brian or anything like that, but I’ll always pull for the Cowboys.”

Witten has been coaching his sons at Argyle Liberty Christian in Texas. He’ll look ahead to future coaching opportunities “when the right time and right opportunity comes.” 

“For me, to be able to coach my sons and take over a program and win back-to-back state championships at that level, it’s been really, really special and memories that I’ll keep with me for the rest of my life,” Witten said. “When the right time and right opportunity comes, I’m excited to kind of embark on that next chapter.”

Eagles

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley said there is no reason that this Super Bowl win can’t be the start of a dynasty in Philadelphia, especially if he works on getting better over the course of the offseason.

“I said after the game, Why can’t our dynasty start now? I probably had a little bit of champagne and other stuff in my system at the time. But you really can’t focus on that, you’ve just got to enjoy the moment. It’s hard to win one,” Barkley said, via Michael Greger. “I don’t know when the ring ceremony is, that’s probably the last day we truly celebrate being a Super Bowl champion, and then it’s back to work. Two nights ago I had trouble sleeping because I’m thinking about how I can attack the offseason.”

Eagles

Eagles OL Mekhi Becton is rebuilding his career in Philadelphia after being labeled a first-round draft bust in New York.

“Support goes a long way,” Becton said, via The Athletic. “If you support somebody and give them love, they can do whatever they want.”

Eagles OT Jordan Mailata said that OL coach Jeff Stoutland is one of the best offensive line coaches in football. Stoutland bargained with Eagles GM Howie Roseman to bring Mailata into the building despite him not playing organized football since he entered the NFL.

“I think it’s important to have a coach that’s going to support you,” Mailata said. “He’s supported me since I got in that building. The same he’s done for Mekhi. It shows a lot about Coach Stout’s character, but if you know him as a human you wouldn’t be surprised by the support and love he shows. It’s consistent, every day he shows it.”

Stoutland said Becton’s size and his ability to move was intriguing which led to the team signing him to a one-year contract last off-season.

“He’s an unusual guy, his size,” Stoutland said. “I like unusual. You could be a smaller guy who has unbelievable foot and body quickness, explosiveness, change of direction, intelligence level. That’s unusual. Something about a player has to be highly unusual for me to feel like there’s a lot of value in that guy. So that’s where it started with him. But I didn’t know … he could play guard.”

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni said Becton has been a great addition to the team and has been an even better teammate since landing in Philadelphia.

“What I love about Mekhi, there’s big games where he’s just been exhausted and his body is tired and limping off the field after a score but he had that smile on his face, had that connection with his teammates of, Man, I just gave everything up for you guys,” Sirianni said. “I love that about him. He truly loves his teammates, his teammates love him and he’s been a great addition to this team.”

• The Eagles fined OLB Jalyx Hunt $5,690 for unsportsmanlike conduct (violent gestures) after a bow and arrow sack celebration in the Super Bowl. The league also fined DT Milton Williams $14,069 for unsportsmanlike conduct. (Tom Pelissero)