Cowboys Share Touching Tribute to Leighton Vander Esch After Retirement Announcement was Made Official, However….
The 28-year-old linebacker officially announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch officially announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday. The former first-round pick was one of the premier young linebackers in the league but was hindered by neck issues.
The 28-year-old Vander Esch was released by the Cowboys last week with a failed physical designated, signifying the end of his tenure with Dallas and in the NFL. The former Boise St. standout had a good six-year run with the Cowboys, having two seasons with 90-plus tackles, and was named to the Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro as a rookie.
This past season, Vander Esch only played five games as he was placed on injured reserve. The veteran defender had 30 combined tackles, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown.
The Dallas Cowboys posted a cool tribute to the veteran linebacker that showed the moment he got the call from Jerry Jones on draft day and the countless plays he made on the field. He could drop into coverage and wasn’t afraid to meet the running back in the hole.
Cowboys Share Touching Tribute to Vander Esch
Even though he only played six seasons with the Cowboys, it’s clear that the “Wolf Hunter” left his mark on the organization and will go down as one of the better linebackers in this era.
The Dallas Cowboys have been relatively quiet during the offseason. They haven’t made any splash signings or dished out any mega-deals. The only move they have made thus far was signing veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks.
Aside from that, Dallas hasn’t done much. It was reported that LB Leighton Vander Esch is going to retire in the next couple of weeks due to ongoing neck injuries.
Unfortunately for him, he won’t be retiring a Cowboy if he does make that decision. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Dallas is releasing Vander Esch with a failed physical designation.
Cowboys News: Leighton Vander Esch Is Going to Be Released
Vander Esch has been dealing with neck injuries since he was in college. Those same problems have followed Vander Esch into the NFL. Last season, he missed 12 games after suffering yet another neck injury against the San Francisco 49ers.
It’s a pinched nerve in his neck that gives him trouble and there might not be a real resolution for him.
When healthy, the 28-year-old is a very effective defender on the second level. Vander Esch has great closing speed and has superb instincts.
In his six-year tenure with the Cowboys, he amassed 469 total stops, 3.5 sacks, and three interceptions.
