Following a cervical injury that forced him to end his career, Leighton Vander Esch, a 28-year-old linebacker, announced his retirement.
Due to an injury, Leighton Vander Esch was forced to resign from the NFL.
Due to a neck injury, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch was forced to retire from the NFL.
The Dallas Cowboys picked 28-year-old Vander Esch with the 19th overall choice in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. The linebacker posted an emotional letter on Instagram announcing his retirement to NFL fans.
“Today is a difficult day for me, but it is also a day of reflection and gratitude,” Vander Esch wrote in a letter. “My greatest days have been spent playing for the Jones Family, Coach (Jason) Garrett, Mike McCarthy, Rod Marinelli, Kris Richard, DQ (Dan Quinn), Ben Bloom, George (Edwards), AD, and Scotty (McCurley).”
“On April 26, 2018, my dream of playing for the Dallas Cowboys became a reality. I shall never forget that night in the future. I’ve played with the Cowboys for six years, and throughout that time, I’ve always strived for success and winning football games while training and competing to the greatest levels of tenacity, passion, and competition. Representing my family, my teammates, and the people of Dallas has been an honor.”
The Cowboys’ owner, Jerry Jones, then thanked Vander Esch for his commitment over the previous six seasons and informed the linebacker that the team would miss him.
“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,” Jones said in a press release on Monday. His enthusiasm and love for the game were infectious, and he made an immediate impact as soon as he arrived.
We shall sincerely miss his toughness, tenacity, drive, resolve, and football IQ. Leighton is much more than just a skilled athlete; he also exemplified the moral fiber and character traits that define him. He was a team player who led by example and had a positive influence on everyone around him.
Even though Leighton’s playing days are over, he has a bright future ahead of him. We appreciate Leighton, his wife Madalynn, and their baby daughter for wearing the star on his helmet, and on behalf of the entire Dallas Cowboys organization, we wish them all the best.”
Vander Esch’s career was cut short by some Cowboys supporters, who believe that offensive tackle Trent Williams of the San Francisco 49ers, who took a hit during their 42-10 loss in the previous season, ended Esch’s career. However, Vander Esch had been struggling with neck problems since his college sophomore year. Towards the end of the 2019 season, he missed four games due to a recurrence of his neck issues.
He then decided to have surgery to address the issue once and for all. Nevertheless, Vander Esch suffered a broken collarbone in 2020, and the Cowboys rejected his option to sign a five-year contract in 2021 because they were unsure about his fitness.
In spite of this, Vander Esch was re-signed by the Cowboys in 2022 for a one-year contract, and they then extended it to two years. However, Vander Esch has chosen to retire under medical advice after fighting discomfort and recurrent injuries for six seasons in the NFL.
