There is an era ending in Dallas, as the star-studded names from the mid-2010s continue to hang up their cleats. The Cowboys’ 2025 retirement tour has been very real, as the team has honored two aging legends this offseason.
It is part of the game, of course, but it never fails to catch us fans by surprise when a once young and dominant player reaches the end of his career.
As of now, only three players from the Cowboys’ 2016 roster remain active in the NFL: Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Maliek Collins. Even the younger standouts from that team, like La’el Collins, are out of the league; Collins hasn’t played a snap in nearly three years.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott — the longest-tenured player on the team — said his new nickname in the QB room is “Unc”
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) May 20, 2025
I suppose time flies when you’re failing to reach the NFC Championship game.
In all seriousness, though, the two Dallas retirees from these past few months may soon add a member to the retirement party, so let’s talk about all three of those guys.
Tyron Smith & Zack Martin: Dynamic Duo’s Send-Off
On March 5th, future Hall of Famer Zack Martin gave his retirement speech after 11 seasons. One month later, on April 14th, Tyron Smith gave his.
The two dominated opposing defensive lines for over a decade, as they put together a combined 14 All-Pro selections and changed the identity of the Cowboys organization one pancake block at a time.
It was only fitting that the pair, who came into the league just three years apart, would go out together in retirement.
#Cowboys 8x Pro Bowl LT Tyron Smith is retiring after 13 NFL seasons, per @RapSheet.
Two pillars of Dallas’ offensive line — Tyron Smith and Zack Martin — officially walk away in the same offseason. pic.twitter.com/trX2m4ggKo
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 15, 2025
In Martin’s case, he finished his career as a lifelong Cowboy. With seven first-team All-Pro nods, he tied Bob Lilly and Randy White for the most in franchise history. He was truly as good as you could be.
Smith, 34, called it quits after one season away from Dallas with the New York Jets. While he may have worn another uniform, there is no question where his HOF legacy resides.
Together, they are two shoo-ins for the Cowboys Ring of Honor, and their official end marks the start of a rocky offensive line rebuild in Dallas. This next guy’s potential retirement could mark a very similar transition.
Ezekiel Elliott: Franchise Legend All Out Of Touchdowns?
Over the past few days, social media rumors have started to swell regarding a potential retirement of franchise legend Ezekiel Elliott.
Drafted in 2016, Elliott quite literally carried the team on his shoulders for several years. The Ohio State Buckeye registered 1,955 rushes with the team, and is behind only Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett in nearly every rushing stat.
After his electrifying start, things started to slow down, as they do for running backs, in 2020.
Elliott had career lows in nearly every category, and he would end up only eclipsing 1,000 yards once more. Now, the soon-to-be 30-year-old is facing the end of his phenomenal playing days.
https://twitter.com/fballforeverhq/status/1943758157559259566
“Zeke” is still a free agent, as his reunion 2025 season with Dallas faltered, and a release request and signing with the Los Angeles Chargers turned into a zero-carry tenure. It was a sour end for the Cowboys fans who adored Elliott’s ability, energy, and joy.
We still don’t know if Elliott is hanging up the cleats officially, but it’s hard to imagine him landing another contract and making an impact on the field.
The Bottom Line: Cowboys’ New Era Means Hard Goodbyes
With the Jason Garrett and Mike McCarthy eras in the past, we are seeing a major transition within the Cowboys organization. It’s a new era of coaches and players, and that means some hard goodbyes.
Beyond the literal send-offs from no longer seeing these retirees on Sundays, it is a goodbye to an era of our own lives and fandom.
We are nearly a decade removed from the electric 2016 run, and 11 years past Tony Romo’s last playoff chance in 2014. Somehow, those days are long gone.
As Smith, Martin, and potentially Elliott retire, it’s a good reminder of the current Cowboys’ 2025 window with Prescott and others aging as well. If you don’t capitalize on chances early, players get old and retire way faster than we like to admit.
