Another Dallas Cowboys veteran officially calls it a career. Sean Lee announced his retirement with the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, after 11 seasons.
ESPN first reported the Sean Lee retirement, and a statement from Lee came shortly after on Instagram. This didn’t come as much of a surprise, as Lee as been an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Sean Lee Retirement Official Statement
The General wrote an emotional statement on his Instagram account that thanked many individuals from Cowboys Nation.
He stared by saying it was a privilege to wear the Star for 11 seasons, but that it is his time to walk away. The emotional statement went on thank the Jones family for their support during his time with the Cowboys, saying they treated him as one of their own.
Lee then went on to thank the coaching staff that he worked with during his time in Dallas, saying they pushed him “to places he didn’t know he could go.” Along with thanking the coaching staff, he went on to thank the teammates he played with since he was drafted in 2010. He called them his brothers and said that he will “cherish the memories from the locker room following all the big wins and tough losses.”
Sean made sure to thank the Cowboys’ athletic training staff who he says “earned their money” working with him. He thanked them for working with him though the injuries he endured while playing these last 11 years.
The General made sure to thank Cowboys Nation saying if he has a regret it’s that he didn’t win a Super Bowl in Dallas. He said that the Cowboys fans “deserve it so much.”
He, of course, went on to thank his family, including his parents, siblings, wife and in-laws, calling them his foundation.
Lastly, he concluded his statement by saying how much the game of football has changed his life. He said he is beyond grateful and it has been his honor.
Social Media Reacts to Lee Calling it a Career
As you can imagine, social media was quick to react to the news of Sean Lee calls it a career. He has been a staple of leadership in the Cowboys locker room for the last decade, and his teammates were quick to confirm that.
Tyrone Crawford (who also retired this offseason), Conor Williams and Dak Prescott all posted messages about Lee on their Instagram stories.
Dak’s was noticeably touching, saying “My General. Thank you for the years and the countless examples of how to lead.”
The social media reaction came from Twitter as well, from more members of Cowboys Nation. Charlotte Jones Anderson even saying that “the Dallas Cowboys are a better organization” because of Lee.
The General’s Career in Dallas
Sean Lee was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2010 NFL Draft at 55th overall. Although Lee’s career was noticeably impacted by injuries, he still holds some Cowboys records.
Despite missing 58 games in the 10 seasons he played with the Cowboys, he will end his career with 995 tackles and an average of 8.4 tackles a game. He also made an appearance at the NFL Pro-Bowler in 2015 and 2016.
According to reports on Twitter, the Cowboys are expected to hold a press conference with Lee later this week.
