Cowboys Share Touching Tribute to Leighton Vander Esch After Retirement Announcement

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.

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