Lucky Whitehead’s week of drama wasn’t worth keeping him for the Cowboys

It’s been a strange week for former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Lucky Whitehead, who was released just hours after the team’s first training camp practice.

First, last Monday, Whitehead claimed his dog, Blitz, was kidnapped from his Dallas home, and a $20,000 ransom was demanded. A video surfaced later that evening of the alleged dognapper — Boogotti Kasino, a Fort Worth rapper — with Blitz. Kasino claimed that he did not steal the dog, but rather that he purchased it and wanted his money back. Early the next morning, Kasino posted a video of him returning the dog to Whitehead.

Fast forward to Monday, July 24, and a warrant was issued in Virginia for Whitehead’s arrest. In June, a man identified as Whitehead was arrested for shoplifting from a convenience store, and failed to show up to his court date on July 6.

Yet Whitehead’s agent, David Rich, insisted all along that his client was not in Virginia during the incident, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

On June 22, Whitehead was in Dallas, per his flight ticket that Rich has a copy of. Whitehead’s United flight left 7:18 am direct to Washington D.C. that morning and landed at 11:30 am - that is 10 hours after the shoplifting crime occurred in Woodbridge, Va.

Rich told the Cowboys he didn’t appear in court because he never received the citation and summons. The reason he didn’t receive the citation and summons is because he wasn’t in the state when the crime occurred, Rich said. Still the Cowboys announced they released Whitehead.

Rich has told the Cowboys this information. He says the plane record speaks for itself. “It’s just unfortunate for the kid,” Rich said.

Per Flight Aware, there is a flight that matches up with Rich’s story. And on Tuesday, that was confirmed with all charges against Whitehead rescinded.

It wasn’t enough to save his job, though. Despite facing no consequences, the two strange incidents were enough for the Cowboys to part ways with the return specialist.

Prior to his two most recent incidents, Whitehead was left behind for a road game against the Giants in December after being late for a team meeting. The previous night, Whitehead was out late, and posted videos to his Snapchat during his night out.

Whitehead was about to begin the third year of his career with the Cowboys, but didn’t make a big enough impact on the field for them to keep him.

Cowboys CEO and Executive Vice President Stephen Jones verified that to reporters on Monday evening:

The NFL offseason was pretty quiet throughout, but not for the Cowboys. Just this past week, Ezekiel Elliott, who could be facing a suspension, was tied to a late-night incident at a Dallas bar, yet was not charged. Dez Bryant was late to practice last week, after holding a BBQ for fans.

Unfortunately for Whitehead, he wasn’t valuable enough like Elliott and Bryant to survive being cut.