Jason Witten almost misses first offseason practice of his career with jury duty
Jason Witten is one of the hardest-working players in the NFL. We know that because he has never missed an offseason practice in his entire 10-year career. Remaining healthy requires a combination of conditioning and luck, but very few players have never sat on the sidelines with bumps and bruises or taken a personal day. On Tuesday, Witten’s amazing run nearly came to an end as he was off fulfilling his civic duties.
According to ESPNDallas.com, Witten was not present for the start of the Cowboys’ mandatory minicamp on Tuesday because he was selected for jury duty. Had the case dragged on, the Pro Bowl tight end would have missed his first ever offseason workout. However, the defendant pleaded guilty and Witten finally arrived at the practice facility at around noon. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted a picture of him jogging onto the field to join his teammates.
Believe it or not, professional athletes are real people too. We aren’t the only ones who have to sit in a courthouse and read crappy three-year-old magazines for four hours while lawyers and judges deliberate in the other room. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you end up with O.J. Simpson’s future in your hands. Fortunately for Witten, the case was settled and his streak remains intact.
Photo credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE
