Sean Lee retired Monday after the linebacker spent all of his 11 mostly injury-plagued seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.
The 34-year-old said in a letter released by the club that it was "my time to walk away." Lee is eighth in team history with 995 tackles.
A second-round pick out of Penn State in 2010, Lee led all NFL linebackers in interceptions through his first six seasons with 12, despite missing all of 2014 after tearing a knee ligament in the first offseason practice.
Lee is fourth among Dallas linebackers with 14 interceptions and holds the club record for tackles in a game with 22 against the New York Giants in 2016, his only All-Pro season.
Injuries ending up defining Lee's career. He missed the final 10 games of 2012 with a toe injury and five of the final six games the next year with hamstring and neck issues before the season-ending knee injury in the 2014 offseason.
The only years in which Lee didn't miss at least one game with injuries were 2016 when the two-time Pro Bowler helped the Cowboys reach the divisional round of the playoffs, and 2019. Hamstring injuries sidelined Lee frequently later in his career.
Lee finished with more than 100 tackles six times, topped by 174 in 2016. He was healthy all year for the NFC East champions that season but sat the final game of the regular season with Dallas' playoff scenario all but set.
He announced his retirement Monday in a letter:
For 11 seasons I was privileged to wear the Cowboys star. We want to play forever. But today, it's my time to walk away.
To the Jones family, you treated me as one of your own since I arrived. You allowed me to shine and grow as a player and person. Thank you for your support and graciousness.
To the coaches, your endless hours of work made me a better player and pushed me to places I didn't know I could go. I'll carry your lessons through the rest of my life.
To my teammates, I love you like brothers. The bond of our shared sacrifice will last forever. I'll miss the brotherhood, but will cherish the memories from the locker room following all the big wins and tough losses.
To the athletic training staff, Lord knows you earned your money working with me. But I couldn't have made it through my injuries without you. Britt Brown, thank you for pushing me as far as you did.
To the fans, you lifted me up when I needed it most. I didn't want to let you down. If there's a regret, it's that I never helped bring a championship back home, because you deserve it so much.
To my family, you have always been my foundation. I love and cherish all of you. I couldn't have done anything without your support. Mom and Dad, you showed me the right way, giving me every opportunity to succeed. To my brother and sister, I looked to both of you for inspiration. To my in-laws, thanks for all your love and support. To my wife, Megan, I love you dearly. You were there for every injury, every bad game. I never would have persevered without your support.
To the game of football, it changed my life.
Whenever I'm near a field, the smell brings me back to when I first started playing, pulling on a helmet, trying on those shoulder pads, that perfect tackle. To think of the journey now, experiencing things I never thought possible with the men and women who make this game what it is, I'm beyond grateful.
Thank you, Cowboys Nation. It has been my honor.
Could the Cowboys use Michael Gallup to trade up in the draft?
The Dallas Cowboys opened some eyes by taking wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with the 17th pick in the 2020 draft. ‘What about Michael Gallup?’, many people said. A third-round pick in 2018, Gallup has proven to be a nice find and he was coming off an 1,100 yard season in 2019.
As it stands right now, the Cowboys hold the 10th pick in the draft at the end of this month. Taking the best defensive player available feels certain, barring someone like Florida tight end Kyle Pitts falling to them, but the Cowboys would surely like to hit on some Day 2 picks too. They have one second-round and two third-round picks, but between picks No. 10 and No. 75, they have just one pick (No. 44).
Michael Gallup is a prime trade chip for the Cowboys
Despite being the forgotten man in the Cowboys wide receiver mix, Gallup still finished with 59 catches for 843 yards and five touchdowns last season. He matched Lamb in the touchdown column, with 105 targets (third on the team) and a team-best 14.3 yards per catch average.
Gallup is also entering the final year of his rookie contract, with a cheap cap number of just over $2.6 million.
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