Kicker misses training for an unusual reason: jury duty

Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey missed practice on Wednesday, and NBC Sports reports that his absence was due to a “potentially unprecedented injury report.” That would be a jury's duty in an assault case involving second-degree strangulation Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The paper said the Cowboys tried to get Aubrey out of there, but Aubrey “insisted on doing his duty” on Wednesday. Although it is not clear how long the case will last, Aubrey is also expected to miss practice on Thursday and Friday so he can attend the court hearing in Tarrant County.

ESPN points out that if Aubrey had attempted to evade his juror responsibilities, both sides and Judge David Hagerman would have to agree to the appointment of a replacement juror. A positive for Aubrey's style of play is that the case isn't about snatching jurors, so he can do whatever he wants on evenings and weekends. It also appears that Aubrey's jury duty will have no bearing on his availability to play on Sunday against the 49ers in San Francisco. “Kudos to Aubrey for not shying away from an important civic role,” writes Mike Florio for NBC. “Jury duty is essential to a well-functioning society.” (More Dallas Cowboys stories.)