FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys saw DeMarcus Lawrence walk away from the team this week, ending a stint that lasted over a decade at The Star. Lawrence, the former leader of Dallas' defense, begins a new journey with the Seattle Seahawks.
This exit was not difficult to predict. The rising star power on the Cowboys' defensive line has not only found their footing, but also crowded out the fit for Lawrence in the team's salary cap.
But that departure did not come without an airing of grievances. Lawrence's slight about Dallas' allegedly woeful Super Bowl chances earlier this week enraged former teammate Micah Parsons (and maybe others), along with fans who supported him in his time with the Cowboys.
He attempted to soften that blow with a goodbye message posted to his social media on Saturday.
Following that fallout though, does Lawrence still owe Cowboys' Nation an apology?
Fans have a reason to think so.
Lawrence is free to feel how he wants and has given 11 years to the franchise. By no means is he required to stay in town to play third wheel behind Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa. That can all be true.
At the same time, his comments were unprovoked and unnecessary. While he may have his qualms with players on the roster, Lawrence had vast fan and community support for much of his time at The Star. It is pretty understandable for Cowboys Nation to take his comments as a low blow.
In conjunction with those comments, Lawrence is not exactly guilty of ring-chasing with his free agency decision, either. The Seahawks will not be climbing out of the same hole as the Cowboys, but in no sense are they firmly in the mix of title contention.
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From that perspective, Lawrence's comments are not necessary at all. Sure, the Cowboys fans may be entitled to an apology here for all the drama involved with his exit.
At the end of the day though, breakups are common in the NFL and despite the work he has put in for the franchise, Lawrence's days were numbered in Frisco.
Dallas has their next wave of defensive leadership ready to take center stage. The goodbyes have been said and after the next week, it will be time for both sides to move on.
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This story was originally published March 16, 2025 at 2:19 PM.