Cowboys fans blame 49ers All-Pro for Dallas LB’s season-ending injury

Dallas Cowboys fans on social media are blaming 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams for ending linebacker Leighton Vander Esch’s season, and potentially damaging his future in football.

Dallas owner Jerry Jones announced Tuesday during a local radio spot that the 27-year-old player would miss the remainder of the season because of a neck injury he suffered on Oct. 8 against San Francisco. Vander Esch’s injury happened when Williams seemingly pushed him from behind, which sent the linebacker into defensive lineman Micah Parsons. The collision caused Vander Esch to jam his neck on Parsons’ leg.

Cowboys fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, had criticized Williams for what they perceive to be a dirty play — or, at the very least, “unnecessary.” That criticism has only grown stronger in the wake of this injury news. Of course, the fact that one of the most famous pictures of Williams is the lineman laughing at an angry Cowboys fan probably doesn’t help that dynamic.

When discussing the injury, Jones indicated that there are now questions about the remainder of Vander Esch’s career. 

“He’s an integral part of that defense out there,” Jones said on 105.3 FM in Dallas. “But we just wish him well, and just the nature of his potential injury here causes me to really think longer term and beyond what it means for next week or beyond what it means for next month, relative to the team. It has everything to do with what’s best in his interest.”

This is not the first time Williams has delivered a controversial, unpunished hit this season. Back in September, the lineman punched a Giants defensive lineman in the face and got away with it because the officials somehow didn’t see it. He was fined a week later for that incident.

Williams was not punished or fined in any way for shoving Vander Esch, but more than a month after the game, it’s clear that the play is still sticking with Cowboys fans.