By Michael Gehlken
Leighton Vander Esch plans to undergo “minimally invasive” neck surgery to fix a nerve issue and will miss the remainder of the 2019 season, a source said Monday.
The former Pro Bowl linebacker has been sidelined for the Cowboys’ past five games with a bulging disk following an Oct. 20 stinger. He won’t play in their regular-season finale Sunday against the Washington Redskins or in any postseason games, if Dallas qualifies.
Vander Esch, 23, underwent an MRI exam on Monday. The plan for surgery was finalized thereafter. His procedure should occur in January, and he’s expected to resume football activities well before the July start of training camp.
An important backdrop to Vander Esch’s situation is a diagnosis predating his NFL entrance.
He has cervical spinal stenosis, a condition featuring a narrowed spinal column in the neck. One consequence for affected individuals is increased nerve sensitivity to a bulging or herniated disk, which can require surgery if more conservative treatment methods do not alleviate symptoms. Those can include numbness or tingling in limbs.
“From what the doctors say, I was born with stenosis,” Vander Esch said following Sunday’s 17-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. “So it’s something you’ve got to deal with. Nothing was bothering me until I got hit in Week 7. I’ve got a new set of pads being built, and I’ve been running and practicing in those. So it feels good. ... We were just saving up for playoffs hopefully, but it’s out of my control.”
