“We Lost A Brother”: The Dallas Cowboys Offer Leighton Vander Esch Their Support Following A Season-Cending Injury
Leighton Vander Esch has had a regrettable history of injuries throughout his career, and regrettably, they just sidelined him once more.
Back pain forced Vander Esch to leave the Cowboys’ Oct. 8 game against the San Francisco 49ers, though it took some time to determine the severity. However, word leaked out on Tuesday that Vander Esch’s injury would potentially jeopardize his career in addition to halting the season. The defense of the Cowboys would suffer a severe hit if 27-year-old Vander Esch is indeed done playing in the NFL.
Vander Esch has a significant impact off the field that is comparable to his on it. As word spread about how serious his injuries was, his Cowboys colleagues showered him with support.
“Losing a brother like Leighton is difficult,” defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence remarked. “He is someone we depend on every single day. We’re sending up prayers for him to keep improving.”
The good news is that Vander Esch will still be present on game days to support his teammates in spite of the injury. For the younger players on the Cowboys, like linebacker Damone Clark, that support alone meant the world.
Leighton has consistently attended our meetings,” Clark remarked. “Even after the injury, he is constantly sending messages in the group chat. Leighton continues to sacrifice a great deal for us on the sidelines, offering advice and highlighting things he observes.”
When healthy, Vander Esch, a first-round selection from Boise State in 2018, has been a reliable presence in the center of the Cowboys’ defense. Having 140 total tackles and being named to the second team of the All-Pro team during his rookie year was his greatest season. Even while he hasn’t quite reached that level since—injuries have kept him out of the field for four of the previous five seasons—he has nevertheless played a significant role in Dallas’ defensive success.
Nevertheless, the Cowboys will always support their teammate no matter what happens next.
Lawrence stated: “We have to express our appreciation for what he accomplished for us last year. He is still with us in spirit, and we are still with him.
