Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin has reportedly informed the organization that he intends to retire after 11 seasons in the NFL.
ESPN reported that Martin met Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones on Thursday to inform him of his decision to retire.
The All-Pro offensive lineman has spent his entire career with America’s Team after the franchise selected him with the 16th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Martin quickly established himself amongst the best players in the league during his rookie season after being named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team, per The Cowboys.
The future Hall of Fame guard put together one of the most illustrious careers of any offensive lineman in NFL history, finishing his time in the league with nine Pro Bowl selections in his 11 seasons.
This impressive accomplishment ranks Martin fifth all-time in total Pro Bowl selections, trailing just Bob Lilly (11), Jason Witten (11), Larry Allen (10), and Mel Renfro (10) for the most in Cowboys history, as reported by ESPN.
Martin also finished his career with just seven accepted holding penalties, the same number of first-team All-Pro finishes he had throughout his 11 seasons in the league.
Unfortunately, Martin’s final season in the NFL was cut short due to surgery to repair an ankle injury. However, Dallas was in a difficult season and unlikely to make a run to the playoffs.
Martin disclosed after the surgery that his ankle issues were degenerative, and he had been fighting through injuries over the last few years, per The Cowboys. This made his consistent availability even more impressive over the first ten years of his career.
Although Martin will have to wait five years before being eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he is almost guaranteed to be selected to join the exclusive group of players in his first year on the ballot.
Replacing Martin will be nearly impossible for the Cowboys over the coming seasons, though Dallas will likely rely on players already on the roster to step into the role next year.
Brock Hoffman is the most likely candidate to fill the Cowboys’ guard needs. However, T.J. Bass or another player not currently on the roster could eventually take over the position.