Zack Martin's retirement after stellar 11-year career cements Cowboys' Ineptitude Era

USA Today

21-02-2025

It's the end of an era. Zack Martin has retired from football after an 11-year career, all spent with the Dallas Cowboys. Martin's resume is immaculate; missing more than two games in a season just twice in his career, he was named to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams each of the other nine campaigns. He entered the league a dominant force of nature as soon as he was drafted from Notre Dame and converted from tackle to guard.
When Martin joined the Cowboys in 2014, he was the final piece of the puzzle. Dallas' front office had see enough. Franchise quarterback Tony Romo was being asked to do too much, and the club wasn't protecting him at levels that allowed the veteran quarterback to perform at his best.
In Jason Garrett's first full season as head coach, the offensive line finally became a priority for the organization. Dallas drafted USC cyborg Tyron Smith that season, moving him from right tackle to left tackle the following year. After confirming they had their franchise left tackle, Dallas then drafted Wisconsin's Travis Frederick in 2013's first round, followed by Martin the next year.
For several years, the Cowboys boasted one of the most impressive offensive lines in the league. All-Pros and Pro Bowls rained down as Dallas had a core position group that was supposed to lead to championships. But those aren't promised and good things don't last forever.
Soonafter the second iteration of the Great Wall of Dallas hit their groove, Romo's body began to break down. Somehow Dallas lucked into a second-consecutive franchise QB in Dak Prescott, but that joy didn't last long either.
A unique medical condition robbed Frederick of his prime years and eventually his career, and Smith began suffering a consistent stream of injuries year after year.
Frederick missed all of 2018 with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, an auto-immune disease. Smith, who missed three whole games and parts of several others every season from 2016 through 2019, started experiencing major issues in 2020.
With Frederick retired, Smith played just two games that season (only 30 over four years), the first campaign where Martin was the last man standing.
Unfazed, Martin continued to play with sheer excellence, year after year, consistently protecting his quarterback and making running lanes for backs.
Even when he wasn't his usual best, in 2023, he was still the best in the league, earning his seventh First-Team All-Pro and ninth overall. But Martin knew the end was nearing. He had publicly floated the possibility of retirement earlier that summer, holding out until the final two seasons of his contract were guaranteed.
Dallas had released Smith that prior spring, leaving Martin as the elder statesman of the offensive line. Taking direction from a new OL coach in Mike Solari, the time Martin missed and the new system, along with age, allowed flaws in the armor to start to appear.
In 2024, Martin wasn't the same and he struggled long before the myriad of injuries took their toll. After 10 games, he had enough and was placed on injured reserve.
Now, facing free agency, he's decided his body has had enough, hanging up his cleats.
And with his retirement, he adds his name to a ridiculously long list of star Cowboys who have now seen their career come to an end without Dallas ever hoisting the Lombardi trophy.
Martin, Smith and Frederick. Romo. Prescott. Jason Witten. Dez Bryant. DeMarcus Ware. Flozell Adams. Miles Austin. DeMarco Murray. Ezekiel Elliott. Dexter Coakley. Dat Nguyen. Sean Lee. LaRoi Glover. Jay Ratliff. Terrell Owens. The talent that has flowed through the various headquarter buildings since the end of the Triplets era has been immense.
And they've all left Dallas without winning a championship.