After months of speculation over rumors that Cowboys backup quarterback Kyle Orton was considering retirement, Orton was conspicuously absent from the opening of the team’s voluntary offseason conditioning program on Monday.
According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, Orton did not notify team officials of his absence beforehand.
The rumors about Orton retiring began shortly after the Cowboys’ 2013 season came to a close, but in recent weeks, parties on both sides have expressed confidence that he’d be back after all. This list includes Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Orton’s agent, David Dunn, who said at the owners meetings in March that his client will return in 2014.
Head coach Jason Garrett, too, has said he expects Orton back.
“Kyle is under contract and we feel very good about him as our backup quarterback,” Garrett said. “He’s under contract. And we’re excited to get him back here in the spring.”
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