Cowboys feel bad for DeVonte Holloman

The news that linebacker DeVonte Holloman will retire because of neck injuries was met with disappointment from Cowboys officials.

"We liked him a lot," Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said Friday before leaving for the third preseason game in Miami. "It's a very big disappointment, more for him. He really was so committed to being a good player. He wanted to do that for the memory of his mother and those kinds of things, I really hate it for him. He was a good player and he had a chance to be a long-term player."

Team doctors told Holloman on Thursday afternoon that he should retire from the NFL after a series of neck injuries. He first injured his neck during a practice last season, and after returning late in the 2013 season, there was hope he would compete for a starting job with Sean Lee out with a torn ACL.

Holloman hurt his neck again in the fourth quarter of the second preseason game against Baltimore last week and further tests revealed he physically can't play in the NFL anymore.

"I'm just first and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go to to him," team executive vice president Stephen Jones said. "He's an athlete and I'm just also thankful that at the same time, nothing (else) happened. He's making the right decision, in terms of where your priorities are in your life. It’s a tough deal for somebody like him. Y'all saw he was off to a great start and had a promising career in front of him. I'm sure there will be other promising things for him to do other than football."