IRVING, Texas – Cowboys defensive tackle Jason Hatcher said he is praying for former teammate Sam Hurd, who could be sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for drug trafficking.
Hurd, a former wide receiver, played for the Cowboys from 2006-2010. He was with the Chicago Bears in 2011 when he was arrested in a sting operation for attempting to distribute large quantities of cocaine.
"You don't want to see a guy like that, I mean, I had a lot of respect for him as far as a man," Hatcher said. "He never came on to me as a bad person. I never knew nothing like this was going on behind the scenes. I wish the best for him.
"At the end of the day, you've got to have a soft place in your heart for a guy like that with family, kids. There's a possibility he could grow up, you know, without knowing his daughter. It's a sad situation, but I wish for the best for him and will continue to pray for him."
Hurd is quoted in a Sports Illustrated story published this week as saying that he sold or shared marijuana with 20-25 of his Cowboys teammates. Hurd said he smoked marijuana "all day, every day" and conservatively estimated half of all NFL players smoke pot.
Hatcher, one of a few Cowboys who stuck around to talk to the media during a bye week, said he never saw that side of Hurd.
"I never knew anything like this was going on with him. He's always been a great guy in the locker room, always been a great teammate. It's very shocking to hear," Hatcher said.
"As far as, like, everybody smoking in the NFL, I don't know. As long as you keep your business, whatever you do off the field is your business. I really don't know what to say about that situation."
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett also didn't know what to say about the Hurd case when asked Tuesday. Garrett was the Cowboys' offensive coordinator when Hurd was on the team.
"I don't have any comment on that, just because I don't know anything about that," Garrett said.
Follow Keith Whitmire on Twitter: @Keith_Whitmire
