Dallas City News

The Dallas Cowboys have a very tight group as far as their team is concerned, something that you a hope will translate into on-the-field success. Football is family. and given how much time players, coaches, staffers, etc. etc. spend together it stands to reason that they develop and share close bonds. But football is also a fleeting thing. and the make up of a team on a year-to-year basis changes dramatically.

Players are cut, some leave in free agency or are traded away. Coaches are dismissed or find opportunities elsewhere that they prefer. Things are never quite the same that they were at any point in the past which is what makes everything about an individual season and team so precious.

The Cowboys will line up on defense this year and not have Leighton Vander Esch or Sean Lee on their roster, an indication at how much things have indeed changed. Damone Clark is one of the longest holdovers at this point as he gets set to enter his third season with the team and it appears he will be bringing a bit of the past with him.

Leighton Vander Esch and Sean Lee will reportedly watch Damone Clark’s film and provide help to him throughout the season

Clark never suited up alongside The General in Sean Lee, but he did play with Vander Esch over these last two seasons when both were healthy and available. It seems rather clear that they developed a strong connection as, according to the mothership’s Patrik Walker, LVE has pledged to help Clark in 2024 by way of watching and critiquing his film.

What’s more is that Vander Esch has gone even a step further and roped in someone who was a mentor to him when he himself was a younger player. According to the report, Vander Esch connected Clark to Sean Lee so that they can both help him throughout the course of the season.

Vander Esch is only set to begin his first year in retirement, but Lee has been out of the game for a bit now. That they want to do something in the name of helping their former team, they each only ever played in the NFL for the Cowboys, speaks a lot to how much they clearly enjoyed their time in the organization and want to see it succeed even in the days beyond them.

You can see in this photo that Clark is wearing number 18, a new one for him this season. In case you were unaware Clark wore it at LSU where the number is an honor and typically reserved for someone who exemplifies a high level of leadership. It is a storied tradition for the Tigers and hopefully passing on the baton so to speak will continue to be one for Dallas Cowboys linebackers as well, even after Clark’s time with the team is over.