New Cowboys' starting guard sends the right message and proves he gets it after Zack Martin's season-ending injury
Brock Hoffman is a feisty, nasty, angry blocker in the trenches, which has helped him emerge over other teammates such as T.J. Bass, who many argue to be the most refined player of the two, as the starting right guard for the Dallas Cowboys following a season-ending injury to All-Pro right guard Zack Martin. But now […]
Brock Hoffman is a feisty, nasty, angry blocker in the trenches, which has helped him emerge over other teammates such as T.J. Bass, who many argue to be the most refined player of the two, as the starting right guard for the Dallas Cowboys following a season-ending injury to All-Pro right guard Zack Martin.
But now that he'll go from just a backup filling in for a few games to the starter for the next seven matchups and, potentially, 2025 and beyond, Hoffman knows he's got to do more. It can't be just about the scrappy demeanor.
Now, it's about finding the consistency Cowboys fans witnessed for so many years out of No. 70, For him, it's about "honoring" what Martin did for 11 years on the job.
"We had already talked, and, you know, just like he’s always been there, he’s always been very helpful for me," Hoffman told reporters on Thursday. "I’m just going to do everything I can to honestly honor that position because being the right guard for the Dallas Cowboys—he’s been the anchor of the O-line for over a decade now. So it’s just honoring that position, honoring that standard that he’s set in our O-line room."
Cowboys Nation will love to hear Hoffman's message. At the end of the day, there's no denying Mike McCarthy is right when he says the team won't be replacing Martin. You just can't assume you'll get someone to do what a slam-dunk Hall of Famer did for so many years on and off the field. But Brock sure sounds like someone ready to try anyways.
The good news for Hoffman is that he'll get some consistency as far as playing the same position goes for the first time in his career. Last year, he was a backup interior offensive lineman. In Week 3, he started at center and in Week 18 he started at right guard. This offseason, he competed at for the starting gig at center. Now, it's all about the one spot he's set to play.
"I felt like I had a big jump in confidence going from that Washington start to the Giants start, back-to-back weeks where last year I started in, Week 3 and didn’t start again till Week 18," Hoffman said. "So I think having that consistent work at one position will really help me in my development. And obviously, Zack will be a big part of that too."
An former undrafted free agent, Hoffman has been shaped by adversity, something he carries with him to the playing field every week. But that won't keep him from putting the team first as the Cowboys try to scratch and claw for any win they can get before the season is over.
"I've always said the adversity I've faced in my journey has been a key factor in getting me to where I am today," Hoffman admitted. "It's always going to be a source of motivation for me. At the end of the day, though, I'm just ready to get out there and do whatever it takes to help this team win games."
Dallas Cowboys’ chances of beating the Bengals in Week 14 are looking even better after latest injury news
They have a shot at three in a row.
