A crucial drive: Houston Texans shuttle seniors to voting booths

Here’s one way to not block the box — the ballot box, that is.

Led by retired offensive lineman Chester Pitts, current and former Houston Texans will reportedly drive senior citizens in Texas to the voting booth on Election Day. Pitts, who retired in 2011, now works for a local television station in Houston and has joined forces with Harvest Community Center for the second consecutive year to help elderly voters make it to the polls, PepperonSports.com reports.

“Seniors, you can learn so much from them and just being around them for the length of time we were was an amazing experience,” Pitts told the blog, which is run by sports journalist Jackie Pepper. “Their gracious attitude told me this was something I had to keep doing.”

Texans linemen Duane Brown and Brandon Brooks, as well as former Texans defensive lineman Travis Johnson and former Houston Oilers receiver Haywood Jeffries, will join Pitts behind the wheel of several large passenger vans to shuttle the elderly voters.

Pitts said he hopes more players will get involved next year, particularly as the NFL battles allegations of bullying in Miami and increased scrutiny of its response to severe injuries and concussions.

“There is no responsibility for professional athletes to do this,” Pitts continued. “But as a professional athlete, you are a role model and I believe you should always do what is right. Helping others, especially our seniors, is always important and as long as I am able, I want to do just that.”