The Dallas Cowboys have lost Zack Martin for the season to an ankle injury, and there is a chance the All-Pro offensive lineman has played his last snap in the NFL.
Martin had dealt with a lingering right ankle injury all season, and the 34-year-old will now undergo surgery. Martin said back in June that it was possible the 2024 season would be his last, which is why there has been speculation he will call it a career.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media said on Friday that retirement will definitely be a consideration for Martin.
“Zack Martin out for the season, having ankle surgery. That is part of the story. That is not the whole story,” Rapoport said. “He’s 34 years old. For sure, retirement is a consideration. But as Zack Martin told reporters yesterday, this is not the time for those conversations. (He’s) gonna get a little healthier first to make those conversations a bit easier.”
Martin is in the final year of his contract with the Cowboys. It is unclear if the team would want him back next season even if Martin did decide to continue playing, though that would likely be dependent on how much money he wanted.
A former first-round pick out of Notre Dame, Martin has made the Pro Bowl nine times during his 11-year NFL career. He has also been named a First-team All-Pro seven times, which is tied for the most in NFL history for an offensive lineman with Hall of Fame linemen Randall McDaniel and John Hannah.
If Martin’s rehab goes well and he decides he wants to pay in 2025, there should be plenty of teams willing to offer him a short-term deal.
