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Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch announced his sudden retirement decision in a post shared on his Instagram account Monday (March 18).
Vander Esch, 28, missed the majority of the 2023 season due to a neck injury and was released by the Cowboys on Friday (March 15) after spending his entire six-year career with the franchise.
"I realize that I am no longer able to adhere to the unwavering standard of excellence that professional football demands," Vander Esch wrote in the Instagram post. "I say this with a heavy heart: I am medically retiring from the NFL. I love the game of football so much, and my body won't cooperate any longer.
"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. This year, things may look a little different for me, but the sole focus is being a great husband and father for my loving family."
Vander Esch was selected by the Cowboys at No. 19 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft and recorded a career-best 140 tackles during his rookie season, having been selected as both a second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. But the former Boise State standout was limited by several injuries throughout his career, including multiple neck injuries, having initially been diagnosed with a cervical neck pinched nerve during his collegiate career in 2016 before later undergoing neck surgery to alleviate issues that forced him to miss seven games in 2019.
Vander Esch was placed on season-ending injured reserve in October for what would ultimately be a career-ending injury.
"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," said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement shared by NFL.com on Monday. "His passion and love for the game was contagious, and from the moment he arrived, he has been a difference maker. His grit, toughness, motivation, determination and football IQ will be sorely missed.
"Leighton also embodied the strong character and personal qualities that make him much more than an accomplished player. 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. On behalf of the entire Dallas Cowboys organization, we're proud that he wore the star on his helmet, we thank him and we wish all the best to Leighton, his wife, Madalynn, and their young daughter."