Cowboys Minicamp: Zack Martin's comments on potential 2025 NFL retirement unlock new fear for fans
Dallas Cowboys fans are dealing with a lot of fears these days. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons have yet to sign contract extensions. Mike McCarthy and most of his coaching staff are working on one-year deals. After falling short yet again in the playoffs, the team is now asking the quarterback to do more […]
Dallas Cowboys fans are dealing with a lot of fears these days.
Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons have yet to sign contract extensions. Mike McCarthy and most of his coaching staff are working on one-year deals. After falling short yet again in the playoffs, the team is now asking the quarterback to do more with less.
Now, they've got to deal with another concern: 2024 might just be Zack Martin's last NFL season ever.
Martin, who will turn 34 years old in November and recently held out for a pay raise in 2023, isn't under contract beyond 2024 and is publicly considering retirement.
"I’m not saying 100%, but I think it’s definitely in the realm of possibilities,” Martin told The Dallas Morning News' Michael Gehlken when asked about potentially hanging it up in 2025.
Martin isn't being definitive about anything and that much is intentional, however. His intention is to be focused on doing the one thing that's earned him seven First-Team All-Pros since arriving at the Cowboys in 2014: Playing football.
“And that’s one thing I don’t want to do," Martin added. "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.”
Why the timing could be right for a retirement
This will be Martin's eleventh season in the league and he could clearly keep playing at a dominant level for many years to come if he wished to.
But the timing could be right for Martin to hang it up in 2025. Not only will he have had a Hall of Fame career already but his contract will be expiring just as the Cowboys might be getting involved in hefty contracts with Dak, Lamb, and Parsons. If they get those done, the salary structure of the team will look a lot different, which could cause the front office to be hesitant to throw another bag of money to an aging offensive guard.
Assuming Martin is considering retirement, playing elsewhere could be something that doesn't appeal to him as much as staying in Dallas. To be clear, this is purely speculation on my part but starting anew requires a whole lot more energy than sticking to your comfort zone.
For now, all Cowboys fans can do is wait and enjoy one more season from The Governor. It might be his last. Let's root for him like it is. He deserves it.
