Cowboys All-Pro Linebacker Announces Retirement From NFL

One of the top players for the Dallas Cowboys is calling it a career. On Monday, Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee announced his retirement from the NFL. This decision comes after Lee missed half of the 2020 season due to undergoing sports hernia surgery to start the year.

"It's been a complete honor," Lee told ESPN. "I've been blessed to play for the incredible Jones family, with such great coaches and teammates that I love like brothers. I loved every minute playing and tried to pour my heart and soul into winning and helping my teammates at all costs." Lee went to say that "the injuries were frustrating would be an understatement," but he's "proud of what I was able to accomplish and I leave this game grateful."

Despite dealing with multiple injuries throughout his career, Lee was able to be a very productive player for the Cowboys. The Penn State alum led the Cowboys in tackles for 2011-2015 and was selected to the All-Pro First team in 2016 after recording 145 tackles. ESPN mentions that Lee owns five of the top seven tackles games in Cowboys' history, including a record 22 stops against the New York Giants in 2016. Along with being named to the All-Pro Team, Lee was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2015 and 2016.

"You can't make decisions in-season or right after the season. You need a perspective of getting away from it further," Lee said when the 2020 season came to end. "And you think about yourself physically, you think about yourself mentally, and then role-wise can you still help the team, can you do it on the field and play a role where you know that you can make sure you're helping the team win. So you have to check all those boxes and know it 100% before you make a commitment to come back."

Lee was drafted by the Cowboys in the second round back in 2010. He had a breakout season in 2011, posting 103 tackles, four interceptions and seven passes defended. As his career progressed, Lee became the leader of the Cowboys defense.

"As an individual he's one of the most selfless people that I've ever been around," linebacker Leighton Vander Esch said after the season. "The dude just truly loves the game, and he is going to do what's best for the game. He's extremely intelligent, he understands it like nobody I've been around. He's just a phenomenal individual - his character bleeds off and is contagious."