Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick shockingly announces retirement
Dallas Cowboys center Travis Frederick shockingly announced his retirement via Twitter Monday.
Frederick missed all of 2018 due to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disease. He returned last year and made the Pro Bowl for the fifth time in his career.
But while Frederick was proud of his journey back to the game after not knowing if he would be able to play with his kids again, let alone suit up with his teammates, he didn’t feel he played up to previous standard, nor if he would ever do so again.
So Frederick decided to walk away at the age of 29.
“After much consideration, discussion, and reflection, I have decided to retire from football,” Frederick said in a statement. “I made my return to the field, played well overall, and was selected to the Pro Bowl. But it was a difficult year for me. Each day I faced a struggle: I could no longer perform at my highest level. Playing ‘well’ is not what I expect of myself and not what my teammates deserve. Because of this, I know my days as a football player are done. I am proud of what I have accomplished in my career, and I walk away with my head held high.”
Frederick was a first-round pick of the Cowboys in the 2013 NFL draft out of Wisconsin. He made four straight trips to the Pro Bowl from 2014-2017. He made first-team All-Pro in 2016 and second team in 2014 and 2015.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called Frederick the core piece of one the most talented and skilled offensive lines in the history of the NFL. It featured three first-round picks and perennial Pro Bowlers in left tackle Tyron Smith and right guard Zack Martin as well as Frederick.
“His leadership ability, production and intelligence put him at the top level of interior offensive linemen in our league for many years,” Jones said in a statement. “At the pinnacle of his success, his career on the field was only exceeded by a rare display of courage and determination in overcoming a life-threatening illness and returning to the game — a challenge that could only be completed by a person with rare levels of perseverance and strength.”
In addition to counting $11 million against next year’s cap, Frederick’s departure leaves a hole at center for the Cowboys to fill heading into the 2020.
Backup guard-center Joe Looney, who replaced him in 2018, is an option, as is Adam Redmond and 2019 third-round pick Connor McGovern.
This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 5:57 PM.
