The Cowboys will not have one of their key defensive players for the rest of the season.
Team owner Jerry Jones confirmed in a radio interview with 105.3 The Fan that linebacker Leighton Vander Esch’s neck injury will keep him out for the rest of the year.
“It’s a very significant loss for us,” Jones said, via Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com. “We just wish him well.”
Jones declined to say whether or not this is a career-ending injury for Vander Esch, who has a history of neck injuries that dates back to his college days. Vander Esch missed three games in 2022 and seven games in 2019 with neck issues.
Vander Esch suffered the latest injury during the team’s Week 5 loss to the 49ers.
A first-round pick in 2018, Vander Esch will end his 2023 having recorded 30 tackles with a fumble recovery for a touchdown.