Ex-Cowboy Vander Esch retires

Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is retiring from football, he announced on Monday.

"I love the game of football so much, and my body won't cooperate any longer," Vander Esch said in a statement. "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."

The 28-year-old defender spent six seasons in Dallas, during which time he sustained a number of significant neck injuries that derailed his career. The Cowboys released Vander Esch last week with a failed physical designation.

Vander Esch was prone to neck issues after being diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis at birth, according to The Dallas Morning News' Michael Gehlken.

"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," owner and general manager Jerry Jones said.

The former Boise State standout was the 19th overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft and provided the Cowboys with stellar production during his rookie campaign, recording 140 tackles, seven passes defensed, and two interceptions. He was named a second-team All-Pro member and landed his first and only Pro Bowl nod.

However, injuries plagued Vander Esch's tenure with the franchise in the years following. A bulging disk that required corrective surgery limited the rising star to just nine games in 2019. The bad luck continued the following season, when he was shut down for the rest of the 2020 campaign with a broken collarbone.

A neck stinger caused Vander Esch to miss four games in 2022 after he remained relatively healthy during his 2021 season. Another neck issue would keep the veteran tackler sidelined for all but five games in 2023.

Vander Esch walks away from the game having recorded 469 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 13 passes defensed, and 3.5 sacks.