Zack Martin's illustrious NFL career is over.
The guard has informed the Cowboys that he plans to retire, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported on Thursday.
Martin is calling it a career after 11 NFL seasons, all spent with the Cowboys. He earned nine Pro Bowl nods, seven first-team All-Pro selections, two second-team All-Pro honors and even finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2014. He retires tied with Randall McDaniel and John Hannah for the most first-team All-Pro selections earned by a guard in NFL history.
Martin's impact on the Cowboys cannot be measured by traditional statistics, but those who followed the team during his career know how valuable he was to the organization. He started in every game in which he appeared (162, plus nine playoff contests), protected quarterback Dak Prescott as the Mississippi State product rose from afterthought to star signal-caller, and cleared running lanes for Ezekiel Elliott, who led the NFL in rushing twice in his first three seasons.
As faces changed both on the field and the sideline, Martin remained a constant. He was one of the most reliably excellent players in the NFL -- regardless of position -- reaching a Pro Bowl and earning an All-Pro nod in every season but one during his career. He even commanded a pay raise at 32 years old.
With just one year left on his existing contract, Martin acknowledged 2024 could be his final season, avoiding committing to a farewell tour while also admitting he knew his time in the NFL was running out. When he suffered an ankle injury that required season-ending ankle surgery, that possibility became much more likely.
The Cowboys legend walks away from pro football with an all-but guaranteed future place in the Hall of Fame. The clock has officially started ticking on his enshrinement in Canton.
