Skip to content

Sean Lee retires after 11 seasons with Cowboys

Icon Sportswire / Getty

Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Sean Lee is retiring after 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, he told ESPN's Todd Archer.

Lee accumulated 521 solo tackles throughout his career, ranking eighth on the Cowboys' all-time leaderboard. He holds the franchise record for tackles in a single game, collecting 22 of them in a contest versus the New York Giants in 2016.

At his peak, Lee was one of the NFL's most impactful inside linebackers. However, injuries habitually limited him, resulting in Lee playing all 16 regular-season games just once.

Lee ascended into a full-time starter in his sophomore campaign after arriving in Dallas as a second-round pick out of Penn State. Following a lost 2014 season due to a torn ACL, he made the Pro Bowl in 2015 and earned another nod along with an All-Pro selection in 2016.

The 34-year-old contributed 14 interceptions, four sacks, 59 tackles for loss, five fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles to the Cowboys over 118 appearances while also returning two of the interceptions for touchdowns.

Lee was a free agent after playing the 2020 campaign on a one-year contract. He made just under $50 million in career earnings, according to OverTheCap.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox