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{{Short description|American football player (born 1972)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Jon Witman
| number = 38
| position = [[Fullback (gridiron football)|Fullback]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|6|1}}
| birth_place = [[Wrightsville, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 240
| college = [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State]]
| draftyear = 1996
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 92
| pastteams =
* [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] ({{NFL Year|1996|2001}})
| statlabel1 = Rushing yards
| statvalue1 = 129
| statlabel2 = Rushing average
| statvalue2 = 3.5
| statlabel3 = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Reception]]s
| statvalue3 = 39
| statlabel4 = Receiving yards
| statvalue4 = 263
| pfr = WitmJo00
}}

'''Jon Doyle Witman''' (born June 1, 1972) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player. He played [[college football]] at Penn State and was a [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]] for six seasons (1996–2001).

==Early life==
Witman was born in 1972 to young parents (then 21 and 17)<ref name=PSU /> and was raised in [[Wrightsville, Pennsylvania]],<ref name=yd /> a small [[borough (Pennsylvania)|borough]] along the [[Susquehanna River]], east of [[York, Pennsylvania|York]] in the south central part of the state. He played football at [[Eastern York School District|Eastern York High School]] in Wrightsville,<ref name=struggle>{{cite news |url=https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2018/03/penn_state_jon_witman_steelers.html |title=Jon Witman and wife Michelle on his struggle with addictive opioid pain medications and their life now |date=March 21, 2018 |website=PennLive |access-date=June 16, 2018 |quote=A decade and a half of football, first at Eastern York High |first=David |last=Jones }}</ref> where he led the team in back-to-back titles.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2017/12/27/eastern-york-high-school-looking-new-head-varsity-football-coach/984746001/ |title=Eastern York High School looking for a new head varsity football coach |date=December 27, 2017 |newspaper=York Dispatch |first=Steve |last=Heiser |access-date=January 16, 2019 }}</ref> From there Witman moved to [[Pennsylvania State University|Penn State]] and was a member of its 1994 undefeated Rose Bowl-winning [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Nittany Lions football team]], pairing with [[Brian Milne]] at the fullback position.<ref name=PSU>{{cite news |url=https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2018/03/penn_state_jon_witman.html |title="Put in da fullback!": Jon Witman never verbally committed to PSU; Joe Paterno just pretended he did – and it worked! |date=March 5, 2018 |website=PennLive |access-date=June 16, 2018 |first=David |last=Jones }}</ref><ref name=yd>{{cite news |url=https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/2016/10/04/pittsburgh-steelers-witman-dui-police/91564544/ |title=Former Steeler charged with Wrightsville-area DUIs |newspaper=York Dispatch |date=October 4, 2016 |access-date=June 16, 2018 |first=Liz Evans |last=Scolforo }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.collegian.psu.edu/archives/article_32846ffe-98b0-5937-82c1-6a545096741e.html |title=Studies in dedication |date=October 7, 1995 |first=Michael |last=Signora |newspaper=Collegian |publisher=Penn State University |access-date=June 19, 2018 }}</ref>

==Pittsburgh Steelers==
In 1996, Witman was the 92nd [[National Football League Draft|draft pick]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=1996 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1996/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-30 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers,<ref name=yd /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/4/18/4234006/5-burning-questions-on-the-steelers-draft-history-the-cowher-donahoe |title=5 Burning Questions on the Steelers Draft History |website=Behind the Steel Curtain |date=April 18, 2013 |first=Hombre |last=de Acero |access-date=June 16, 2018 }}</ref> with whom he started 43 games until his retirement in 2001.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.yorkblog.com/yorktownsquare/2007/12/17/nfl-players/ |title=York County has produced several star NFL players |first=Jim |last=McClure |website=York Town Square |date=December 17, 2007 |access-date=June 17, 2018 }}</ref> He had not been available for any [[NFL Scouting Combine|combine]]s, due to a hamstring injury.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.collegian.psu.edu/archives/article_7e4681fd-cebf-5d87-9791-25e76839a27e.html |first=Jordan |last=Hyman |title=Lions hope for future success in NFL |date=April 19, 1996 |newspaper=Collegian |publisher=Penn State University |access-date=June 19, 2018 }}</ref> In his rookie year with the Steelers, Witman earned the team's "[[Joe Greene]] Great Performance Award".<ref name=cte>{{cite news |url=http://steelcurtainrising.com/2017/02/steelers-fullback-jon-witman-cte-tau-protien-dui-opioid-abuse.html/ |title=Is Former Steelers Fullback Jon Witman Doomed to Become CTE's Next Victim? Let's Hope Not |website=Steel Curtain Rising |date=February 15, 2017 |access-date=June 18, 2018 |author=KT }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://prod.static.steelers.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/2017/2017_pittsburgh-steelers-media-guide_05_history.pdf#page=84 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618175416/http://prod.static.steelers.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/2017/2017_pittsburgh-steelers-media-guide_05_history.pdf#page=84 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 18, 2018 |page=84 |title=Steelers History 2017 |year=2017 |publisher=Pittsburgh Steelers |access-date=June 18, 2018 }}</ref> He got hurt five games into the 2000 season and [[Dan Kreider]] took the fullback position for the remaining 10 games. Witman returned for the 2001 season and his last game was the Steelers' [[2001–02 NFL playoffs#Conference championships|January 2002 AFC Championship]] loss to the [[New England Patriots]].<ref name=cte /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://lancasteronline.com/sports/dan-kreider-looks-at-career-nfl/article_1ca583a4-494d-549d-976a-b9aef384fa40.html |title= Dan Kreider looks at career, NFL |first=Tom |last=Arnold |website=Lancaster Online |date=May 6, 2012 |access-date=June 19, 2018 }}</ref>

==Struggles==
Witman lost over $1 million in the [[2008 financial crisis]] and as of late 2016, he was going through [[chapter 13 bankruptcy]]. Continuing pain from back and ankle fusion surgeries kept him from daily work and he gave his landscaping business to his brother.<ref name=programs>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/12/16/nflpa-union-lifeline-ex-players-suicide-mental-health-programs-jon-witman-gerald-mcrath/77439260/ |title=NFL and union-backed programs providing lifelines to ex-players in distress |date=December 16, 2015 |first=Tom |last=Pelissaro |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=June 18, 2018 }}</ref> Witman became addicted to [[opioid]] medication<ref name=struggle /> and had two [[driving under the influence|DUI]] crashes in 2016, both for which he was sentenced in 2017.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/2017/02/08/pittsburgh-steeler-jon-witman-dui-sentence/97646726/ |title=Former Steeler sentenced on two DUIs involving medications |date=February 8, 2017 |first=Liz Evans |last=Scolforo |newspaper=York Dispatch |access-date=June 18, 2018 }}</ref> Faced with severe depression, he considered suicide in 2014 but his wife found help through the [[National Football League Players Association]].<ref name=programs /> After months in [[Drug detoxification|detox]], [[Drug rehabilitation|rehab]], and a [[halfway house]], and more rehab after some relapses, in March 2018 he was reported as having been clean and sober since November 2016.<ref name=struggle />

==Personal life==
Witman's father, Keith, a Vietnam-Marine who worked for 30 years at York's [[Harley-Davidson]] plant, died of cancer in February 2018.<ref name=PSU /> Witman has been partnered with his wife since 1990, the start of their junior year in high school. An initial date didn't go well two years earlier, but they got back together after it became evident he was still interested. One of their four sons,<ref name=struggle /> Cole, played [[lacrosse]] at Eastern York High School as of 2017.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.gametimepa.com/story/high-school/york-adams/boys-lacrosse/2017/03/31/son-nfl-player-seeks-stardom----lacrosse-field/99872568/ |title=Son of NFL player seeks stardom – on lacrosse field |website=GameTimePA |date=March 31, 2017 |access-date=June 18, 2018 |first=Teddy |last=Feinberg }}</ref>
Cole transferred to [[York Catholic High School]] for his last two seasons before committing in 2019 to college lacrosse at the [[University of Tampa]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/sports/2019/03/20/york-catholic-lacrosse-stars-witman-snelbaker-committed-d-ii-tampa/3217526002/ |title=York Catholic lacrosse standouts Cole Witman, Drew Snelbaker both now committed to Tampa |date=March 20, 2019 |newspaper=York Dispatch |first=Jacob Calvin |last=Meyer |access-date=March 4, 2024}}</ref> In 2020, he was named to the [[Sunshine State Conference]] spring honor roll,<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/sunshinestateconference.com/documents/2020/6/23/DRAFT_20_Spring_Honor_Roll.pdf |title=1,819 Student-Athletes Named to Spring SSC Commissioner's Honor Roll |date=June 26, 2020 |publisher=Sunshine State Conference |access-date=March 4, 2024 }}</ref> and in 2021 was on the lacrosse team roster at [[York College of Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ycpspartans.com/sports/mens-lacrosse/roster/2021 |title=2021 Men's Lacrosse |website=York College of Pennsylvania Spartans |access-date=March 4, 2024}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Steelers1996DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Witman, Jon}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:American football fullbacks]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Players of American football from York County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Penn State Nittany Lions football players]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players]]

Jon Witman - Revision history

imported>Bio8738: fix wikilink