Zack Martin: Is this the end for a Cowboys legend?

Zack Martin may soon be retired. The current longest-tenured Cowboy, Martin has led a Hall of Fame career, totaling nine Pro Bowl selections, seven All-Pro nods, and being named a member of the All-2010s team.

In 2024, the 34-year-old was still playing at a high level, though a drop-off was noticeable. For those reasons, and because of Dallas’s performance this year, it hasn’t been a great last ride.

The speculation that this could be it for Martin has been rampant since this past offseason when he admitted that retirement was “in the realm of possibility.”

That reality may have been cemented yesterday, when it was announced that the Notre Dame alum would undergo season-ending ankle surgery.

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It’s rare for Martin to go down with an injury, so this news shows its severity and the reality of his aging. The only question now is, will the season-ending headline soon be replaced with a career-ending one?

Will Zack Martin Retire?

One of the biggest questions Dallas will face over the next few months is if Martin is truly hanging up the cleats for good.

His leadership, talent, and connection to the fans are still strong, and I’m sure the Cowboys would strongly consider resigning him if he decided to stick around for a 12th year in the NFL.

The problem with that is, all the signs are pointing toward a Zack Martin retirement before the 2025 season.

Whether it be his own words from June of this year, his age, declining performance, and ability to stay on the football field, or the words of his teammates, it just seems like it’s time for this Cowboys’ legend to say goodbye.

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Martin isn’t going to decide to retire because Micah Parsons thinks he will, but when you’re inside the locker room, you do have a better idea of what a teammate in Martin’s shoes may be thinking.

The signs are pointing towards the end for Zack Martin in the NFL, and if that’s the case, it will be the end of a special career that will surely be enshrined in Canton.

Who Could Fill His Shoes?

If Martin does leave, the shoes he’d leave behind would be massive. Few Cowboys have had the kind of career that he’s had, and taking over that spot will come with high expectations and pressure.

So, who could that successor be? The answer may already be on the roster, and he will likely start in Martin’s absence for the rest of this season.

Brock Hoffman, the Cowboys hard-nosed fighter of an offensive guard, is expected to step into the starting lineup with Martin out for the year.

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The Statesville, North Carolina native has been a favorite in the organization since Dallas got him in free agency during the 2022 season. His attitude, grit, and improving ability have caught the eyes of many.

When Hoffman has come in during the 2024 campaign, he’s looked good, though his fighting tendency may need to cool down just a tad if he becomes a full-time starter.

Is it enough to warrant becoming Martin’s successor in 2025 and beyond? That’s up to the coaching staff and front office to decide, but what we’ve seen early in his career shows serious potential that is worth exploring.

The Bottom Line

Fans will debate Zack Martin’s future from now until we know his final answer, but one fact is undeniable: he is the last representative of an era of Dallas Cowboys football that is in the rearview mirror.

Tyron Smith and Travis Frederick are gone, Tony Romo and Dez Bryant are gone, and the entire coaching staff that Martin came up with is gone.

When Martin entered the organization in 2014, he entered a building that, aside from the Jones family and himself, was completely different from how it is today.

From player personnel to the coaching staff, Martin is the last active piece we have left from that time span in Cowboys history. That means something to these fans, and it goes to show just how long he has been contributing to the team.

We won’t know if Martin has played his final snap until the news breaks, but regardless of what he decides, he has earned retirement, a gold jacket, and a salute from everybody in the Cowboys fanbase.