Cowboys’ Leighton Vander Esch retires over lingering neck issues: ‘Body won’t cooperate’
Former Cowboys All-Pro linebacker Leighton Vander Esch announced he has medically retired from the NFL due to lingering neck issues in his six-year career.
Taking to his Instagram, the 28-year-old Vander Esch — who played for Dallas his entire pro career — explained that his body “won’t corporate” with the game he loves in an emotional note on Thursday.
“Today is a difficult day for me, but it is also a day of reflection and gratitude,” he wrote. “… I realize that I am no longer able to adhere to the unwavering standard of excellence that professional football demands. 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.”
Vander Esch was release by Dallas with a failed physical designation on March 15.
The 2018 first-round pick suffered a neck injury in October against the San Francisco 49ers, which put him on the injured reserve list for the rest of the 2023 season.
Prior to that, Vander Esch underwent surgery to repair a nerve issue in his neck in 2019, forcing him to miss the remainder of that season.
A separate surgery would later derail his 2020 season, when he left the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams with a broken collarbone.
In his letter, Vander Esch gushed over his wife, Madalynn, and how she was his rock through their time in Dallas.
“No one has felt the daily grind more than my loving and extremely supportive wife, Madalynn,” he wrote. “… She has been with me throughout my entire career and was completely dedicated to helping me become my absolute best, on and off the field. I know for a fact I couldn’t have been on this journey in the NFL without her.
“Madalynn, you have made this transition into being the mother of our little girl look so easy. For you, I am forever grateful and blessed. If there’s one thing that is for sure, player wives don’t get near enough credit.”
Madalynn paid tribute to her husband in a separate post on Instagram, which partly reflected on his injury history and included photos from his career.
“Leighton, I feel so HONORED to have witnessed your career along side of you,” she wrote in part. I cannot articulate, without tears, how proud I am to be 55’s wife… Football has been nothing short of a roller coaster for us. He had his first career touchdown, the week before a career ending injury.
“We knew the night of his injury that he would likely never see the field again. I am thankful for the private time we’ve had to make peace with it, but have undoubtedly grieved for what the injuries took from him. It’s a grind. But Leighton is steady. His highs are never too high, lows never too low. He is a silent leader in all aspects of his life, a warrior. I’ve watched him battle setback after setback, with nothing but gratitude for another opportunity. All the while, remaining kind, supportive and present for me.
“… I am thankful his body gets a chance to heal now. I am ready to watch him thrive as a father, business man, funny farmer, or whatever comes our way.”
Madalynn also explained that their daughter’s name — Navy Grace Vander Esch, born on Jan. 8, 2024 — was inspired by the Cowboys.
“Lots of people have asked us why we named our daughter ‘Navy,'” she wrote. “Initially, We heard the name and loved it, but navy blue is so symbolic of the last 6 years here in Dallas to us. I love that her name will always remind us of this era of our lives.”
Vander Esch re-signed with the Cowboys on a two-year deal in March 2023 after a stellar 2022 campaign.
Dallas is set to recover $2.2 million of his deal toward salary cap savings, while the remaining $2.2 million will be dead money.
In six seasons with the Cowboys, Vander Esch tallied 557 tackles in 71 games with 65 starts.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones praised Vander Esch for his contagious passion and love for the game, adding in a statement, “We’re proud that he wore the star on his helmet.”
The Cowboys shared a tribute video for Esch on social media, which featured footage from when he was selected by the Cowboys in the first round, 19th overall, in the 2018 NFL Draft.
“You are elite, Wolf Hunter,” the caption read, referring to his nickname.
Vander Esch earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in his rookie year after a successful career at Boise State, where he also dealt with neck issues.
