FRISCO — DeMarcus Lawrence's tenure with the Dallas Cowboys came to an untimely and unfortunate end. A defensive centerpiece for a decade saw an injury end his final season with the team early and he has now left for a fresh start in the latter stage of his career.
Amid his welcome to the Seattle Seahawks, Lawrence turned heads with comments regarding his status with the Cowboys. This week, he claimed he would never win a Super Bowl if he stayed at The Star.
30 years of evidence makes him look wise for coming to such an understanding, but the comments sparked emotions of former teammates and Cowboys fans alike, understandably so.
Regardless of those opinions and the sudden beef between him and Micah Parsons, it was a tough look for the former leader of the "Hot Boyz" to depart with.
Luckily, Lawrence posted a heartfelt goodbye to his former franchise that demonstrated his true feelings.
"I have had the honor and privilege to wear the star and call myself a Dallas Cowboy for my entire NFL career,” Lawrence wrote. "There has never been a moment since the day Jerry Jones called to draft me that I haven’t loved every person in the Dallas community, every fan that supports the Cowboys across the world, and every player, coach and staff member of that incredible organization.
"I never truly believed that the day would come when I would go and sign with another team. We had always hoped that my family and I would get to finish our careers as Cowboys. Sadly, it just wasn’t meant to be."
The end is a bitter one for both sides. The Cowboys were not in a position to keep him despite the many outstanding heights Lawrence reached on the field, including four Pro Bowl appearances.
Nonetheless, 11 years is an eternity in the NFL especially with one franchise. Lawrence's decision to explore a new chapter will not change the relationships and bonds forged at The Star in that time.
For the Cowboys, they have started retooling their defense. Osa Odighizuwa and presumably Micah Parsons are the future of this defensive front. They now reset for life without their seasoned veteran leader.
But even with some of the sour emotions that have come to the forefront, make no mistake that Lawrence will leave behind a part of himself as he takes on a new phase of his professional journey.
