Longtime Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee has always been called a coach on field. The veteran who once carried the team's defensive unit has struggled to stay on that field due to injury, but his guidance and leadership across the defense has never been lost.
And while the transition for Lee becoming a coach one day seemed like an obvious one, current Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has put the plan into words.
“If you're dumb enough to get into coaching,” McCarthy said, “we should definitely talk.” McCarthy added that he thought Lee would be a “great” coach, seeming to indicate that he would like to add him on the Cowboys defensive staff in the near future.
Of course, Sean Lee is currently a player, but he is only under contract through the rest of this season. And given he's appeared in just 7 games this season (and started in none), the writing is on the wall when it comes to his future as a linebacker.
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee watches during the 2nd quarter of a preseason NFL football game between the Houston Texans and the Dallas Cowboys at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX. The Texans won the game 14 to 6
NFL Cowboys vs Texans, Houston, USA – 30 Aug 2018
So, why not coach?
It's possible that Lee looks for another home in the league similar to what Jason Witten found in Vegas last offseason, but Witten has remained much more durable during the late stages of his career than Lee has. Sean Lee hasn't proven he can stay healthy during an NFL season, even on a limited snap count. Lee has played in all 16 games just once in his 11 year career, though he did play in 15 games during his All Pro 2016 season.
It's getting time to hang it up for the beloved Cowboys linebacker, and I'm sure he knows it.
Cowboys linebackers coach Sean Lee has a nice ring to it, but who knows what the future of this entire defensive staff will be.
