Right guard Zack Martin of the Dallas Cowboys is among the greatest offensive lineman of the modern era. He has made nine Pro Bowls and been named an All-Pro in nine out of ten NFL seasons, including first-team All-Pro in each of the last three seasons.
But Martin’s retirement is drawing near—he is 34 in November.
Regarding retirement, Martin told the Dallas Morning News, “I’m not saying 100%, but I think it’s definitely in the realm of possibilities” (H/T NFL.com). And that’s one thing I’m not interested in doing.
I don’t want to be thinking, “Oh, this is it,” for me. This concludes it. I want to play as well as I can right now, be in the present, and be the best right guard this team needs every single week. We’ll determine what’s going on after the season.
Martin’s selection would be influenced by a few more factors in addition to his age: both contract and health. Martin held out for a new contract throughout training camp the previous year, and he now only has one year left on his current deal. Although he didn’t get an extension, his income was increased.
“I’ve had a couple years — obviously, last year with the contract and a couple other years with some injury stuff I was dealing with during training camp — where you really don’t get those reps,” Martin stated. It’s difficult to put into words, but sometimes you feel like you’re always catching up.
“It seems like last year you showed up a few weeks early and were merely attempting to make up lost time.
I have to get into proper conditioning. I have to get stuff done with the guys that I play beside. Being able to attend training camp this year and settle into a routine before the season begins excites me much.”
A mainstay on Dallas’ potent offensive line, the former No. 16 overall choice in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame may be playing his final season.