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Cowboys All-Pro Guard Zack Martin Plans to Retire After 11 NFL Seasons

He was contemplating retirement or becoming a free agent this offseason.

Madison Williams

Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin waits for a snap.
Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin waits for a snap. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin plans to retire from the NFL, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Thursday.

Martin had a big choice ahead of him this offseason as he was set to become a free agent if he didn't re-sign with the Cowboys. In the end, he chose to retire after spending all 11 of his NFL seasons in Dallas.

Martin was a seven-time first team All-Pro member, which is tied for the most by an offensive guard alongside Pro Football Hall of Famers Randall McDaniel and John Hannah. Martin was also named to the Pro Bowl nine times in that span.

The 2014 first-round pick played college ball at Notre Dame from 2010 to '14. Martin was named the MVP of the Pinstripe Bowl in 2013, becoming the first offensive lineman to do so since Jay Huffman in 1959.

Martin will go down as one of the greatest offensive linemen of his generation. If he officially retires this offseason, Martin will be eligible to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2030.

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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.

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