An inspiration to all us, Vietnamese and Texas Aggies-
IRVING, Texas (AP) - Dallas Cowboys linebacker Dat Nguyen is considering retirement after being placed on the season-ending injured reserve list with neck and knee injuries.
"He doesn't feel like he can play up to his standard now," coach Bill Parcells said Monday. "I think he's going to consider retirement."
Nguyen strained his neck Sept. 25 at Oakland, played the next week and then missed three games to end his 43-game starting streak. He played sparingly in the past four games without starting, mainly in passing situations.
The 30-year-old Nguyen, in his seventh season out of Texas A&M, is signed through 2007. He has 665 career tackles and led the Cowboys in tackles the past two seasons, the first player to do that since Ken Norton Jr. in 1992-93.
Besides the neck injury, Nguyen has been bothered by knee problems this season.
"He just physically couldn't withstand some of the things. That's really what the problems were," Parcells said. "You're the first one to know and then it kind of gets you a little depressed, which I think happened to him a little bit too."
Parcells said Nguyen spoke to him Sunday, a conversation that was similar to one they had just a few weeks earlier in which the linebacker also mentioned the possibility of retiring.
Nguyen, the first Vietnamese-American to play in the NFL, wasn't available for comment. Parcells made his announcement after the open locker room period Monday.
Nguyen, a defensive captain who finished this season with 39 tackles, is the second starting linebacker the Cowboys have lost this season. Al Singleton was put on injured reserve after breaking his shoulder Oct. 30 against Arizona.
The Cowboys signed Michael Barrow, who played 11 NFL seasons for the Houston Oilers (1993-96), Carolina Panthers (1997-99) and New York Giants (2000-03), to take Nguyen's roster spot.
Barrow had 148 tackles for the Giants in the 2003, then signed with Washington but didn't play last season because of a quad injury and tendinitis in his knee. The Redskins released him in July.
Parcells believes Barrow, who had 17 tackles in a 2003 game against the Cowboys, is healthy enough and may play Sunday against the Giants.
"I just hope he can give us a little contribution for four or five games," Parcells said. "He's just got to go a month, so maybe we can get him through that."
Scott Shanle, who missed the Denver game with an ankle injury, returned to practice Monday and likely will start at outside linebacker. He had started six straight games in Nguyen's place before Thursday.
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