Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch leaves 49ers game in fourth quarter with neck injury

Sunday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers was an unmitigated disaster for the Dallas Cowboys. Simply everything that could possibly go wrong, did for the Cowboys. They trailed the 49ers 42-10 on Sunday night in the fourth quarter. And things only got worse. They lost multiple players to injury on Sunday evening. In the fourth quarter, Dallas linebacker Leighton Vander Esch suffered a neck injury after 49ers offensive lineman Trent Williams drove him headfirst into his teammate, Micah Parsons.

Here is the video of the collision below.

Leighton Vander Esch injured Trent Williams injures Vander Esch Cowboys vs 49ers pic.twitter.com/iFe1Jxtnfh

— Trebornotslar (@Trebornotslar) October 9, 2023

Cowboys players were kneeling in concern.

He was seen walking to the locker room after being down on the field for a few minutes. The Cowboys medical staff appeared to be evaluating his neck area. A few minutes later, Sunday Night Football’s Melissa Stark updated everybody on his status. Vander Esch was officially questionable to return to the game with a neck injury.

Dallas lost the game to the 49ers in a blowout, 42-10.

If he has to miss time, it’s a major blow for the Dallas defense. He’s been one of their best defensive players the past few years, but dealing with multiple injuries to the neck area have to be a point of concern for Vander Esch, the franchise, and their medical staff.

He suffered a neck injury last season that kept him out for multiple weeks in 2022.

Dallas Cowboys re-signed Leighton Vander Esch in March of 2023

The Dallas Cowboys kept one of their defensive leaders for the long haul. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch inked a two-year, $11 million deal in March of 2023, according to Ian Rapoport.

Vander Esch played the 2022 season on a one-year deal with Dallas worth $2 million. The Cowboys paid him upwards of $13 million over five seasons but it was time for them to re-up on the “Wolf Hunter.”

After playing in 65% of the defensive snaps in 2022 and helping the Cowboys make the playoffs, Vander Esch earned a $300,000 bonus incentive.

In 2022, Vander Esch led the defense in tackles until he suffered a neck injury that kept him out for multiple weeks. He managed to return to the field for the playoffs, however.

Vander Esch finished 2022 with 90 tackles in the regular season, which was the most he recorded since his rookie year in 2018. He also had a sack and six tackles for loss, as well as 20 postseason tackles.

On3’s Griffin McVeigh also contributed to this article.