Last week Dick Butkus called him an "old-school ... real deal."
This week Jerry Jones didn't stroke his ego, but instead padded his bank account.
No offense to the Bears' Hall-of-Fame linebacker, but Sean Lee likely cherishes -
CLUE #7: "DFWSportatorium" - cash as much as compliments. And the Cowboys owner made sure Lee remained a Dallas defensive pillar through 2019 yesterday with a six-year contract extension that - if he meets playing-time and performance incentives - could top $51 million and make him one of the NFL's highest-paid inside linebackers alongside the 49ers' Patrick Willis, Jets' David Harris and Eagles' DeMeco Ryans.
The fourth-year linebacker's job now - stay healthy.
Lee has been splendid, but only in spurts. Because of injuries that have sidelined him during his career, from a pulled hamstring in 2010 to a dislocated wrist in 2011 to last year's torn ligaments in his toe. (Somehow he survived that vicious, illegal cheap-shot from the Seahawks' punk Golden Tate.)
In Monte Kiffin's Tampa 2 defense, Lee will play middle linebacker and be asked to make plays 15 yards down the field in the passing game and also plays in the opponent's backfield in the running game.
He hasn't made a Pro Bowl. Hasn't sniffed a playoff game. Has yet to make his first tackle as middle linebacker. But with his unique combination of speed, strength and savvy, someday he'll crack my list of the Cowboys' 10 best all-time linebackers.
Just not yet ...
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10. Robert Jones - Can't remember a single highlight play, but to start at middle linebacker on all three Super Bowl-winning teams in the 1990s he must've been doing something right.
9. Eugene Lockart - The "Hittin' Machine" was good on some bad teams, earning All-Pro honors in Jimmy Johnson's first two seasons in Dallas.
8. Ken Norton - The inspirational, gritty leader of an underrated, mostly anonymous group that was the NFL's No. 1-ranked defense twice in the early 1990s.
7. D.D. Lewis - Feisty, consistent leader started for eight seasons and played in five Super Bowls, nine NFC Championship Games and a franchise-record 27 playoff games.
6. Dexter Coakley - Instinctive and athletic, he is the franchise's No. 3-leading tackler behind Darren Woodson and Randy White, made three Pro Bowls and was Dallas' best defensive player on some horrible teams early in the 2000s.
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5. Bob Breunig - Undersized overachiever led the Cowboys in tackles six times during the late 1970s/early 1980s.
4. Thomas Henderson - I know this seems crazy based on his short career (1975-79), lone Pro Bowl and numerous run-ins with Tom Landry, but "Hollywood" possessed as much raw talent as an Cowboys' linebacker ever evidenced by his 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
3. DeMarcus Ware - Though he'll put his hand on the ground as a defensive end this season, as outside linebacker he was one of the most fierce and productive pass-rushers in franchise history and will become the all-time leader with his fourth sack in 2013.
2. Lee Roy Jordan - Patrolled the middle of Landry's Flex defense for 14 years, winning two Super Bowls and earning induction into the Ring of Honor.
1. Chuck Howley - Ring-of-Honor member was six-time All-Pro and the MVP of Super Bowl V despite playing for the losing team.
Odd that Mr. Whitt does not give credit to the person that first reported the Sean Lee extension. I bet if he first reported it and then someone else ran it out and did not give Mr. Whitt credit he would write a whole story complianing about it.
ReplyDelete#integrity
P.S. I misspelled "complaining" for you Mr. Whitt so you can reply correcting that instead of addressing the subject at hand. You're welcome.
Story wasn't "broken" by anybody. It was announced by his agent. Thanks.
DeleteP.S. If you're spending time misspelling words - on purpose - I predict your life is a tad fruitless.
Dat Nguyen is still ahead of Lee... Lee hasn't done all that much just yet.
ReplyDeleteNo to Dat Nguyen. Just no.
Delete^^ not saying that he won't obliterate every cowboy record at the position... just saying... not yet, let's postpone the bus to Canton/hold off on the anointing oil. #ParcellsTalk
ReplyDeleteFor those that did not write down the clues here they are:
ReplyDelete#1 Richie #2 Whitt #3 has #4 really #5 bad #6 hair #7 plugs
Be sure to go to Pollo Campero off of Cockrell Hill and blurt the above sentence out for your free tickets and meal!!!!!!
Good Luck!!!!
hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!
Deletegood stuff right there.
I don't have hair "plugs."
DeleteAnd that's not the winning sentence.
Other than that, I'm sure you're a swell, clever dude.
Bob Bruenig at 5? Don't think he makes my top 10. No room for Tony Dickerson or Dave Edwards? Just an opinion
ReplyDeleteThought about Dave Edwards. Didn't think at all about Champ Dickerson.
DeletePretty good list. Hard not to include Mike Hegman and Jerry Tubbs, who was way before my time, but the oldtimers say he was a hell of a player back in the early days of the Cowboys.
ReplyDelete-JC
Jerry Tubbs got some consideration. Thanks.
DeleteDoes Randy White fit on the list? Known mostly as a D-lineman but don't most people think Demarcus Ware is a lineman too? Hard to leave off the manster if he wore "54"
ReplyDeleteHad he been a linebacker in the NFL, without question. Pretty sure he was an LB at Maryland, however was converted to D-tackle once drafted where he played his whole career.
Delete-JC
Unlike Ware, Manster played 99.9 percent of his career at DL.
Delete