OXNARD, Calif. (AP) – Bill Parcells showed he can take the knocks in training camp as well as his players.

The Dallas coach was knocked to the ground during practice Tuesday when Cowboys tight end Jason Witten ran into him during a passing drill.

Parcells got up smiling and didn’t appear to be hurt. The coach doesn’t talk to reporters after the afternoon workout.

“I tried to help him up and he said, “I’m all right.’ So I left it at that,” Witten said. “I was scared to death. I’m sorry coach, I’m sorry, let me help you up. That’s the first thing out of my mouth.”

Parcells was laughing when he then told Witten to watch where he’s going.

Witten jumped trying to catch an overthrown ball in the end zone, then came down and hit Parcells, who was already trying to move out of the way. The 257-pound tight end tried to hold up the coach, but both tumbled to the ground.

“I didn’t know until I hit him, then I saw it was him,” Witten said. “I thought I better try to hold him up, but too much was going that one way. So I fell down with him.”

AP-ES-08-03-04 2047EDT