Zack Martin is retiring after an illustrious career, which featured seven All-Pro seasons as the Dallas Cowboys’ right guard, according to two sources familiar with the decision. One source, speaking anonymously to The Associated Press, revealed that Martin informed Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones of his decision during a meeting on Thursday, though no official announcement was planned.
The 34-year-old Zack Martin was unable to complete his 11th and final season with the Cowboys due to an ankle injury that ultimately required surgery. When he was sidelined after 10 games, he stated he wasn’t yet ready to decide on his future.
Retirement became a topic of discussion when Martin held out during the 2023 preseason before agreeing to a restructured contract that effectively became a two-year deal with a raise.
Selected 16th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, Martin immediately solidified the right guard position for Dallas. At the time, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel was still available, but executive vice president Stephen Jones convinced his father, team owner Jerry Jones, to draft Martin instead. That decision proved wise, as Manziel’s NFL career was short-lived.
Martin earned All-Pro honors as a rookie and received the distinction in each of his final five healthy seasons. A nine-time Pro Bowler, he was also named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2010s All-Decade Team.
The Cowboys built one of the league’s best offensive lines by selecting linemen in the first round three times over four drafts. It began with left tackle Tyron Smith in 2011, followed by center Travis Frederick in 2013 and Martin in 2014.
Frederick unexpectedly retired after six seasons in 2019. He had missed the entire 2018 season due to Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune disorder affecting the nervous system, and after returning for one more year, he decided he could no longer play at his expected level.
The Cowboys allowed eight-time Pro Bowler Tyron Smith to leave in free agency last year, and with Martin’s departure, their offensive line is undergoing its biggest transition in over a decade. This shift comes as quarterback Dak Prescott enters the first season of his four-year, $240 million contract—the first in NFL history with an average annual value of $60 million.
Martin’s retirement also coincides with first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s efforts to revamp a struggling rushing attack. Rico Dowdle became the first undrafted running back to surpass 1,000 rushing yards, but he is now a free agent. The Cowboys are expected to target a running back in April’s draft, though Martin’s absence makes bolstering the offensive line an even greater priority.
Brock Hoffman, who replaced Martin late last season, is the likely candidate to continue at right guard. The Cowboys appear set at left guard with 2022 first-round pick Tyler Smith and at center with last year’s third-round pick, Cooper Beebe. Terence Steele has primarily started at right tackle since joining Dallas as an undrafted free agent in 2020, though his future remains uncertain. Meanwhile, 2023 first-round pick Tyler Guyton is expected to enter training camp as the starting left tackle, depending on any draft moves the Cowboys make.
During Martin’s tenure, Dallas reached the divisional round twice in his first three seasons, including his rookie year when DeMarco Murray set a franchise record with 1,845 rushing yards. The team made the playoffs four more times with Martin before finishing 7-10 in his final season, snapping a three-year postseason streak.
Despite Martin’s decorated career, he was unable to help the Cowboys break through to the NFC Championship Game. Dallas’ 29-year drought without a conference title game appearance is the longest in the NFC, with their last trip coming in the 1995 season, when they won their fifth Super Bowl.
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