Dallas Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch has medically retired from football, as expected
When the Dallas Cowboys released linebacker Leighton Vander Esch for salary cap reasons last Friday it was with the full expectation that he was going to soon announce his retirement from the NFL.
Vander Esch made it official on Monday, walking away from football after six years with the Cowboys due to injuries.
Today is a difficult day for me, but it is also a day of reflection and gratitude,” Vander Esch began a good bye letter released by the Cowboys. “I realize that I am no longer able to adhere to the unwavering standard of excellence that professional football demands. I say this with a heavy heart: I am medically retiring from the NFL. I love the game of football so much, and my body won’t cooperate any longer. I cherished every moment of my NFL career, and it has been such a blessing to play the game for as long as I have played.”
It was long-awaited expectation for Vander Esch since suffering a neck injury against the San Francisco 49ers last October, forcing him to miss the final 11 games of the season.
Neck injuries have plagued Vander Esch dating back to college at Boise State when he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis.
The Cowboys still made him a first-round pick in 2018 and he had a magical rookie season.
He led the Cowboys with 178 tackles and made the Pro Bowl.
But neck issues that caused some teams to take him off their draft board surfaced in 2019 when he missed seven of the final nine games.
He returned after undergoing neck fusion surgery and after he was equipped with a brace on his shoulder pads as a stabilizer to protect his neck from snapping too far back.
Vander Esch played 10 games in 2020 and 17 in 2021.
In 2022, he missed the final four regular-season games with a stinger but returned for the two playoff games.
The end came in 2023 against the San Francisco 49ers when Vander Esch was pushed from behind by left tackle Trent Williams, causing his head to collide with edge rusher Micah Parsons.
Vander Esch ended his career with 557 tackles in 71 games.
“Seldom do you come across a player like Leighton, who grew up playing eight-man football only to first play the 11-man game at the major collegiate level and excel,” owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. “His passion and love for the game was contagious, and from the moment he arrived, he has been a difference maker. His grit, toughness, motivation, determination and football IQ will be sorely missed. He was a leader and the kind of teammate that impacted those around him in the best ways. Leighton’s playing career may have come to an end, but his future is very bright.
“On behalf of the entire Dallas Cowboys organization, we’re proud that he wore the star on his helmet.”
