Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee made the decision to sit out Sunday's regular season finale, costing himself a $2 million bonus.
Lee's contract includes the $2 million incentive if he played 80 percent of the Cowboys' defensive snaps. Entering Sunday's contest, he had been part of just over 82 percent of the team's defensive plays, according to Pro Football Talk.
The veteran linebacker, who has battled injuries throughout his career, said he "tweaked" his hamstring during a 7-on-7 drill in Thursday's practice and couldn't get it loose before Sunday's game.
"It was me who decided to not play," Lee said. "I didn't feel like I would be effective enough to help the football team.
"I'm not going to disrespect my coaches and be out there not playing the right way."
Lee said the coaches didn't discuss the decision with him, and that it "came down to whether [he] could help the team or not."
"He came out here early this morning and went out to work and he just felt like it was still grabbing," said head coach Jason Garrett. "So it didn't make any sense to have him play today."
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones reciprocated Lee's respect for the organization in his comments after Sunday's game.
"We have to protect Sean's value to this team," Jones said. "Sean is the first one to protect that value. We wouldn't under any circumstances put him out there with a chance to really limit him going into next year. We just wouldn't do that."
Lee, in the second year of a six-year deal, earned $5.45 million in total salary and bonuses over the 2015-16 season. The $2 million would've been applied to his 2016-17 salary.
He recorded 76 tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception in 14 games for Dallas this season.
