Baby Giraffe At Dallas Zoo Named After Cowboys' Jason Witten

DALLAS, TX - The Dallas Zoo announced Friday that its new baby giraffe is being named "Witten" after retired Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, according to the zoo's Facebook page.

"We are thrilled to introduce you to (drum roll…) our newborn male giraffe calf named Witten! We are paying tribute to one of the best tight ends in history, Jason Witten, by naming our baby giraffe after the legendary retired Dallas Cowboys player," the zoo's Facebook page said.

The zoo says the baby giraffe will make his public debut within the next two weeks.

In other news, the Dallas Zoo was named Friday by USA Today as the nation’s 7th Best Zoo in the nation. The zoo's Simmons Hippo Outpost was voted as the 5th Best Zoo Exhibit.

After 15 NFL seasons, Jason Witten retired to take a job as ESPN's lead analyst on Monday Night Football.

Witten, an 11-time Pro Bowler, is considered one of the best tight ends in NFL history, with 1,152 catches for 12,448 yards and 68 touchdowns. Witten ranks fourth in all-time receptions, behind only Jerry Rice (1,549), Tony Gonzalez (1,325) and Larry Fitzgerald (1,234), according to NFL.com.

Image via Dallas Zoo