Cowboys “kept their hands about.” Leighton Vander Esch after the linebacker’s possible neck injury that might end his career
Dallas will be without one of its best defensive coordinators, but they will still encourage him and have a “next man up” mentality.
Texas’s Frisco Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch of the Dallas Cowboys must make a significant choice regarding his football future after suffering a neck injury that ended his second season. The injury he sustained during the team’s 42-10 loss to San Francisco on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 5 has persisted, leading the Cowboys to bench him for the remainder of the 2023 campaign.
After suffering a neck injury that kept him out of the final nine games of the 2019 season, he had a fusion operation. In the 2020 campaign, Vander Esch also suffered a collarbone fracture. His pinched nerve in 2016 caused him to lose time at Boise State during his collegiate years, which is when his neck ailments first appeared. In the 2018 NFL Draft, Dallas still selected him with the 19th overall pick. During his first season, Vander Esch was selected for the only Pro Bowl. The Cowboys are currently doing their hardest to get Vander Esch to consider retirement and putting his long-term health ahead of playing in the NFL.
On Wednesday, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy stated, “We’ve had a couple conversations.” “Clearly, he’s still processing it, but having him here [for support] is the most important thing from the football staff and the locker room.” This is not a one-talk or chat. The most important thing, in my opinion, is to allow him the time and room he needs to process this. He has a history of going through it, so this isn’t the first time. what’s directly in front of him. Those are all factors. Going ahead, I really want him to be involved in this.”
Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse stated, “It’s tough, Leighton is a huge, not only on this defense, but on the team.” “It’s hard to lose a guy and a teammate like that, especially one who puts so much into it and wants to see both of us succeed.” Leighton is a powerful person, and that’s why we’re all placing our hands around him. We’re still holding hands with him and letting him know you’re here for him, even if he doesn’t express it much.”
Kearse gave peek behind a curtain into Vander Esch’s potential factors into his decision, including the child he and his wife Maddy.
When asked if Vander Esch’s injury made him consider his own football mortality, Kearse responded, “Definitely.” We are brothers, dads, and sons. When it comes to participating in this sport, this is only a minor part of our lives. We’ve been doing this for a very long time, but you simply need to realize that even though you play football for a long time, you’ll still have a lot of years to go without doing it. I am a parent. Leighton has a growing uterus. When it comes to him, there are really a lot of various factors to consider.
You say a lot while you’re young, but as you get older, you realize that money cannot purchase or duplicate this work or the things we have outside of it. family and stuff of such nature. When making judgments on how to handle a major injury, like the one he sustained lately, you have to consider those effects carefully.
“It’s difficult to handle, and I’m not the one handling it. Therefore, I can’t even begin to picture the emotions and ideas running through his mind when faced with such a huge task. The only thing we can do in this building is show him our support by keeping our arms wrapped around him. that he may rely on us.”
