Dallas Cowboys elite Pro Bowl, All-Pro, and future Hall of Fame right guard Zack Martin exited their Week 11 blowout loss to the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football with an ankle injury and has battled a shoulder injury for quite some time as well. Martin did not participate during Week 12’s practice, and the Cowboys later downgraded him from doubtful to out for their Week 12 victory over the Washington Commanders. Finally, the future Hall of Famer did not participate during last week’s short practice, and the team ruled him out for their Week 13 victory over the New York Giants on Thanksgiving.
The Dallas Cowboys were optimistic that he could return at some point this season
Mike McCarthy, during last Friday’s press conference, told the media that of the three injured Cowboy players, Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Trevon Diggs, Martin had the best chance to return to the starting lineup for their Week 14 game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. Jerry Jones repeated a similar sentiment, saying that the future Hall of Famer could return at some point during the season.
“I’m sure the minute we get Zack available to play he’ll be out there…” Jones said, via the team’s website. “I expect him to be back out there.”
The Dallas Cowboys changed their tune
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Zack Martin will undergo season-ending ankle surgery. As Rapoport points out, Martin only played in ten games during the 2024 season, tied for the lowest number of games he’s played in a season. This recent news is devastating for an already injury-depleted Cowboys roster.
#Cowboys All-Pro G Zack Martin will have season-ending surgery on his ankle, coach Mike McCarthy announced. The 34-year-old played in just 10 games this season.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 5, 2024
Is this the end of his career?
Zack Martin admitted that he contemplated retirement during the offseason and that retirement is “in the realm of possibilities.”
“I’m not saying 100%, but I think it’s definitely in the realm of possibilities,” Martin said. “And that’s one thing I don’t want to do. For myself, I don’t want to be thinking, ‘Oh, this is it. This is it.’ I want to stay in the moment, and I want to play the best that I can play at this point and be the best right guard this team needs on a weekly basis. And then after the season, we’ll figure out what’s going on.”
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