While his presence will be missing on the field that will not stop Sean Lee from being the Dallas Cowboys. Lee plans to be around the Cowboys as much as possible and will lend support to replacements Dan Connor and Bruce Carter. The team may even take Lee on road trips.
“If I disconnect, I’m not part of the team at all,” Lee said. “If I can help in any small way, it’s still helping. I believe this defense is going to continue to get better and that’s the thing I want — to be a part of it. We’ve got so many talented, high character guys on defense and, to be honest, I’m so excited to see Bruce Carter and Dan Connor play because those guys got better and better and better and are ready to step up. I believe this defense is going to continue to get better.”
Lee did not believe that he would miss the season initially.
“Especially with the way it happened, a fluke play where trying to make a tackle, their tight end lands on my foot as I’m driving, falls over the pile, bends my toe all the way back to my foot. One of those things where you’re trying to make a tackle and can’t really avoid it, so it’s frustrating in the sense that your toe could keep you out a whole year.”
Dan Connor, the player who will assume Lee’s position, called the chance to start bittersweet.
“You don’t want to do it like that, not at all,” said Connor to ESPN Dallas, who added his “heart breaks” for Lee, his former Penn State teammate. “It’s terrible. It’s not a good feeling for me either. I talked to him on the phone last night and he’s put on a brave face, but I’ve been in that type of situation and it’s not a good feeling to step in and play for him. It’s bittersweet for me.”
Next week Lee will have surgery on the torn plantar plate. He then will require three to four months of rehab. Running back Felix Jones and wide receiver Kevin Ogletree have returned from a similar surgery.
