Back to the Dallas Cowboys Newsfeed

How being called a 'snake' by Dez Bryant helped make Sean Lee the apparent heir to Jason Witten's status as team leader

OXNARD, Calif. -- Jason Witten's retirement led some to agonize about a leadership void for this young Cowboys team.

Watching Sean Lee adroitly handle the first, tumultuous days of training camp should ease those concerns.

"Jason always led by example,'' Lee said. "He was a role model for me.

"He said when you face something, you face it head on.''

That's what Lee has done with questions about the national anthem. It's what he did several days ago in the wake of Dez Bryant's unexpected Twitter rant.

Lee knew the Cowboys leadership would be tested early in camp.