Zack Martin Retires After Seven All-Pro Seasons with Cowboys

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Zack Martin Retires After Seven All-Pro Seasons with Cowboys \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Dallas Cowboys right guard Zack Martin is retiring after an illustrious 11-season career, which included seven All-Pro selections. Martin, 34, informed team owner Jerry Jones of his decision after an ankle injury cut short his final season. His retirement marks a significant transition for the Cowboys’ offensive line heading into the 2025 season.

Zack Martin’s Retirement: Quick Looks

Legendary Career: Zack Martin played 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, earning seven All-Pro selections and nine Pro Bowl nods.
Retirement Decision: He informed Jerry Jones of his retirement after missing the latter part of the 2024 season due to an ankle injury.
Cowboys’ O-Line Shakeup: With Martin gone, Dallas faces a major transition, especially as they rebuild their struggling rushing attack.
Draft Impact: The Cowboys are now likely to prioritize the offensive line in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Legacy: Martin was a key part of one of the league’s top offensive lines, contributing to multiple playoff runs but never reaching the NFC Championship game.

Deep Look

The Dallas Cowboys are facing a major shift in their offensive line following Zack Martin’s retirement after an exceptional 11-year career. The 34-year-old right guard, widely regarded as one of the best offensive linemen of his generation, leaves behind a legacy of dominance, consistency, and leadership.

According to sources, Martin personally informed Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones of his decision in a meeting on Thursday. Though no official announcement was planned at the time, his departure was expected following an ankle injury that required surgery and cut his final season short after 10 games.

A Career of Greatness

When the Cowboys selected Zack Martin with the 16th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, few could have predicted just how impactful he would become. At the time, Dallas was considering Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, but executive vice president Stephen Jones convinced his father, Jerry Jones, to take Martin instead. The decision turned out to be one of the best draft moves in franchise history.

Martin immediately became the foundation of the Cowboys’ offensive line. As a rookie, he earned All-Pro honors, setting the stage for a career filled with accolades. Over the next decade, he solidified his reputation as an elite right guard, consistently ranking among the best at his position.

Seven-time First-Team All-Pro selection
Nine-time Pro Bowler
Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2010s All-Decade Team
Recognized as one of the top guards in NFL history

Despite dealing with injuries in some seasons, Martin remained one of the most dominant and technically sound linemen in the league. His strength, intelligence, and ability to read defenses made him a nightmare for opposing pass rushers.

The Injury That Led to Retirement

Martin’s 2024 season was cut short after he sustained an ankle injury that ultimately required surgery. Though he initially remained undecided on his future, the long recovery process likely played a role in his decision to retire.

His retirement also comes after he held out during the 2023 preseason, negotiating a restructured contract that provided a well-earned pay increase. At the time, some speculated that he was nearing the end of his career, as the new deal was essentially a two-year agreement. That holdout, combined with the recent injury, signaled that his playing days were limited.

Now, after 11 seasons, Martin has decided to step away, closing the chapter on a truly remarkable career.

A Transforming Cowboys Offensive Line

Martin’s retirement leaves the Cowboys’ offensive line in its most uncertain state in over a decade. His departure follows the retirement of Travis Frederick in 2019 and the recent loss of Tyron Smith in free agency.

Between 2011 and 2014, the Cowboys built one of the best offensive lines in NFL history, drafting:

Tyron Smith (1st round, 2011) – Left Tackle
Travis Frederick (1st round, 2013) – Center
Zack Martin (1st round, 2014) – Right Guard

This trio helped pave the way for some of the most dominant rushing attacks in Cowboys history, including DeMarco Murray’s franchise-record 1,845 rushing yards in 2014 and Ezekiel Elliott’s two rushing titles (2016, 2018).

With all three now gone, Dallas faces a complete overhaul of its offensive line.

Who Steps Up Next?

With Martin out, the Cowboys must now fill the void at right guard, a position that has been rock solid for over a decade. The leading candidates for the role include:

Brock Hoffman – The undrafted free agent who filled in for Martin late last season.
Tyler Smith – The 2022 first-round pick has settled in at left guard, but Dallas could experiment with shifting him to the right side.
A new draft pick or free agent – Given the importance of the offensive line, the Cowboys are now expected to prioritize linemen in the 2025 NFL Draft.

At other positions, the Cowboys seem more settled:

Left Guard: Tyler Smith remains a key piece of the line.
Center: Cooper Beebe, a third-round pick, is projected to take over.
Right Tackle: Terence Steele has been the starter since 2020, though his future is uncertain.
Left Tackle: Tyler Guyton (2024 first-round pick) is expected to be the starter.

Despite having some promising young talent, losing a future Hall of Famer like Zack Martin will undoubtedly be a challenge.

Impact on the Cowboys’ Offense

Martin’s retirement comes at a pivotal time for the Cowboys, who are undergoing major changes on offense:

Quarterback Dak Prescott recently signed a four-year, $240 million contract, the first in NFL history with an average annual value of $60 million.
The running game struggled last season, ranking among the league’s worst.
Rico Dowdle, who became the first undrafted player to rush for 1,000 yards in franchise history, is now a free agent.

With Martin gone, rebuilding the running game will become even more difficult. First-year offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is tasked with fixing the ground attack, but his job just got tougher. The Cowboys may now look to the 2025 NFL Draft for both an offensive lineman and a running back.

A Legacy Cemented in Cowboys History

Though the Cowboys never made it to an NFC Championship Game during Martin’s tenure, his individual accomplishments make him one of the greatest players in franchise history.

Dallas reached the divisional round twice in his first three seasons, including in 2014 when DeMarco Murray led the NFL in rushing. The Cowboys made the playoffs four more times with Martin but fell short in their ultimate goal of returning to the Super Bowl.

Despite the postseason struggles, Martin will be remembered as:

One of the best offensive linemen of his generation
A future Hall of Famer
A key part of some of the best Cowboys teams of the last decade

Final Thoughts

With Zack Martin’s retirement, the Cowboys enter a new era. His departure signals a major transition for an offensive line that was once the backbone of the team.

Now, with Dak Prescott’s massive contract, a struggling run game, and a shifting O-line, Dallas must quickly rebuild if they hope to remain competitive in the NFC.

Though he never won a Super Bowl, Martin’s impact on the franchise is undeniable. His leadership, consistency, and dominance will be sorely missed, and he is widely expected to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the near future.

The Cowboys now face the daunting challenge of replacing a legend, but one thing is certain: Zack Martin’s legacy in Dallas is secure.