Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings reportedly delayed his arrival to New England’s offseason program following a shooting in his native Alabama.
Jennings was not present Monday for the Patriots’ first day of spring workouts, with ESPN’s Mike Reiss reporting he chose to “support his hometown” of Dadeville in the wake of a shooting at a 16th birthday party Saturday night that left four dead and 28 injured.
Two of the deceased were students at Dadeville High School, Jennings’ alma mater, officials told reporters.
“It is an unreal tragedy,” Dadeville High principal Chris Hand said Monday, via AL.com. “I am so devastated right now. We have a really good school, and these were great students.”
Police had not released any information regarding a potential suspect or motive as of Monday afternoon.
Dadeville is a small town of roughly 3,000 located 2 1/2 hours east of Tuscaloosa, where Jennings played his college ball at Alabama, and an hour northeast from the state capital of Montgomery.
The Patriots selected Jennings in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The 25-year-old played in 16 games last season as a depth linebacker, tallying 27 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, four quarterback hits, two pass breakups and one forced fumble. He is entering the final season of his rookie contract.
Offseason workouts are voluntary for all players, and it is not uncommon for players to occasionally miss sessions for personal reasons. The only mandatory portion of New England’s offseason program is the team’s three-day minicamp, which is scheduled to begin June 12.
