If you once played for the Dallas Cowboys, it seems, you might get a second crack at an NFL job in the form of being an analyst on national television.
So it is with Sean Lee, the recently-retired Dallas linebacker who has reportedly auditioned to work in TV at CBS.
If this works out for Lee, who during his decade in Dallas developed a reputation as a media-friendly guy as well as a savvy student of the game, he would follow in some illustrious footsteps.
"Dandy'' Don Meredith was the first former Cowboys star to hit it big as a national TV analyst, way back in 1970. Since then, the "America's Team'' tag has surely helped the likes of Troy Aikman and Tony Romo become as famous for their TV work as they were for playing QB in Dallas. An assortment of other ex-Cowboys have experienced varying degrees of success on TV, with Emmitt Smith and Jason Witten, the latter of whom was handed the big chair on Monday Night Football in an ill-fated decision.
Maybe it takes a certain level of "star quality'' and likability and charisma to succeed as the Dallas QB, and maybe that has translated for Aikman and Romo as it did for Meredith.
Can Lee pull that off? Can he audition his way to being superior, in the eyes of CBS executives who are trying to fill the seat vacated by Rich Gannon?
It seems he will have to beat out a couple of old NFC East pals in former Washington QB Alex Smith and former WFT coach Jay Gruden. Oh, and he will have to beat out a couple of former Cowboys, too, as retired QB Mark Sanchez and ex-receiver Joey Galloway (both of whom presently work at ESPN) are mentioned as candidates.
Smith reportedly also has interest from Fox, NFL Network and ESPN. Lee, of course, has interest from the Cowboys should he desire a role in coaching or in some other capacity, though as he recently told CowboysSI.com the famously-workaholic linebacker is presently enjoying beating a "beach bum.''
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