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Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas — The season is over for Dallas Cowboys All-Pro guard Zack Martin. Coach Mike McCarthy mentioned Martin will bear surgical procedure on a proper ankle subject that has been troubling the participant for a while.
Martin has missed the previous two video games with ankle and shoulder accidents. And now comes a query as as to whether he will probably be again in 2025.
“I believe you simply need to take a step again and cope with one factor at a time and that is frankly the dialog that Zack and I had,” McCarthy mentioned. “The focus is basically in regards to the surgical procedure, what’s subsequent. And I believe these are all questions that I’m certain that will probably be requested or will probably be considered. But he actually, in my conversations with him, his focus is on getting the surgical procedure and attempting to do the very best he can with this ankle as a result of clearly that is I believe the third surgical procedure that he’ll have on that ankle.”
Martin, who turned 34 final month, is below contract via 2025, nevertheless, when the deal was restructured final offseason it was designed to assist unfold out a salary-cap hit over the 2025 and ’26 seasons if he retired. If Martin is on the roster the fifth day of the 2025 league 12 months, he could be assured $40 million in 2026. Had the Cowboys not made that transfer, Martin would have counted almost $25 million in opposition to the 2025 cap.
Martin has been bothered by a proper ankle damage for many of the season and suffered a shoulder damage throughout the season. In the Nov. 18 loss to the Houston Texans, Martin left early due to a sprain to his different ankle. The hope was that with break day he would get better sufficient to have the ability to return, however the best ankle damage continued to be problematic, which led to the choice to have surgical procedure.
“Everybody concerned thought it was finest for him to get the surgical procedure,” McCarthy mentioned.
Martin has deflected discuss his future all through the season, wanting to maintain the deal with the sphere, but when he opts to retire, he would accomplish that as probably the most embellished Cowboys in franchise historical past. He was named to the Pro Bowl 9 instances in his first 10 years and an All-Pro seven instances. Only Hall of Famers Bob Lilly (11), Larry Allen (10) and Mel Renfro (10), plus 11-timer Jason Witten, who shouldn’t be eligible for the Hall of Fame but, have been chosen to extra Pro Bowls than Martin in Dallas historical past.
“Clearly a Hall of Famer, not just for the way in which he performs however simply top notch,” McCarthy mentioned. “He simply instructions plenty of respect. Same individual, character each single day. Hard working. True group man. Puts the group first. He’s been a pleasure to work with and I am unable to say sufficient nice issues about him.”
The Cowboys famously chosen Martin within the first spherical in 2014 (at No. 16) regardless of proprietor and normal supervisor Jerry Jones asking greater than as soon as whether or not the group ought to use the choose on former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel.
Martin was the one rookie to be named a first-team All-Pro that season and was the primary Cowboys rookie to earn that honor. The solely 12 months he didn’t make the Pro Bowl got here in 2020, when he missed seven video games with a concussion and a calf damage.
In Martin’s absence, the Cowboys have began Brock Hoffman at proper guard and have had two of their higher speeding performances, together with the primary 100-yard effort since Week 3 of the 2023 season from Rico Dowdle.
