FRISCO, Texas — After 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, linebacker Sean Lee is retiring per ESPN. The general is hanging up his cleats. The man who donned No. 50 leaves a legacy in Dallas and sets the standard of excellence on-and-off the field. Lee embodied a true leader in both the mental and physical aspects of the game.
He was known for being the player obsessed with the game; you know, the one who eats, sleeps, and dreams X’s and O’s. Lee was often one of the first players to enter the team facility in Frisco, and one of the last to leave. His dedication was not only inspiring to fellow teammates, but to his former defensive coordinator, Rod Marinelli as well.
“I think a lot of players love to play on Sunday,” Marinelli emphatically described to D210SPORTS following the announcement. “He [Sean Lee] loves to prepare as much as he plays- in the meeting room, at practice, and in walkthroughs. That is what differentiates him. He shows as much zest and zeal in preparation as any player I’ve been around. You cannot find a player with that every day. You see a guy like that, and he got out of football everything he could.”
The work done in the shadows creates the willpower and grasp of an opponent that translates onto the field. Lee’s diagnosis of an offense at the snap from incessant film study were unmatched. Whether it be his reading of run formations, dropping back into coverage and disrupting passing windows, moving up to blitz, or wrapping up a ball carrier at the line of scrimmage, he was productive. For most of his time in Dallas, Lee was the commander and unquestioned leader of the defense.
The Cowboys selected Lee in the second-round of the 2010 draft. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection in 2015 and 2016, but his career was often derailed by injuries that prevented him from reaching his full potential. The Penn State product was sidelined due to hamstring, neck, knee, and wrist injuries throughout his career including concussions. He dealt with a myriad of issues and played in nine games last season after undergoing sports hernia surgery.
When healthy, he was a top-tier linebacker in the league with his instincts. Over his 11-year career, he notched 995 tackles, 14 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), five fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, 59 tackles for loss, 30 passes defensed, and four sacks. He led the Cowboys in tackles in 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Lee averaged 8.4 tackles per game, the most among the top 10 tacklers in team history.
Not only did he make a difference on the gridiron with his innate ability to find the football, but in the lives of the people surrounding him. Coach Marinelli expressed Lee’s influence and the mark he made wearing a Star.
“His sole purpose is to make his teammates better every day. He is as humble as humble gets. Well respected teammate and leader… We know players gravitate towards the preparation. He is a positive influence on people, and he has the ability to tell the truth in a positive way, not in a degrading way. He is such a perfectionist… Two words that describe him are coachability and humility. He will pass those values onto others in whatever he decides to do next.”
Sometimes, a player’s true value and gift to the game are not fully recognized. No one can capture what Sean Lee has meant to the game. His passion, drive, leadership, and competitiveness are unparalleled. Not only will many of his famed plays be forever immortalized in the hallways at the Star but his preparation is what players will emulate for years to come.
