{"id":41726,"date":"2025-04-17T08:05:47","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T08:05:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=41726"},"modified":"2025-04-17T08:28:24","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T08:28:24","slug":"breaking-jerry-jones-makes-major-announcement-for-cowboys-legends-tyron-smith-zack-martin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=41726","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING : Jerry Jones makes major announcement for Cowboys legends Tyron Smith, Zack Martin"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tyron Smith and Zach Martin are two of the best players in the history of the Dallas Cowboys, and will be honored as such.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Dallas<\/picture><\/figure>\n
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith looks on after a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles \/ Bill Streicher-Imagn Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Dallas Cowboys\u00a0legend\u00a0Tyron Smith officially retired from the NFL\u00a0on Wednesday,\u00a0signing a one-day deal\u00a0with the team to retire as a member of the franchise that made him a future Hall of Famer.<\/p>\n

And given everything he accompished in Dallas, and what he brought to the team during his 13 seasons, Jerry Jones has elected to bestow him with the highest honor the franchise offers.<\/p>\n

\"C\u00f3<\/p>\n

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The same could be said for guard Zack Martin, who also retired this offseason.<\/p>\n

During Smith’s retirement press conference, Jones announced that he and Martin would be both inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor, joining fellow Dallas legends such as Troy Aikman, Tony Dorsett, Roger Staubach, Michael Irvin, Larry Allen, Emmitt Smith, Darren Woodson, and many more.<\/p>\n

“There’s no question they’re going in the Ring of Honor,” Jones said.<\/p>\n

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Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith runs off the field before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles \/ Tim Heitman-Imagn Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jones went on to emphasize to Smith how important he and Martin were to the franchise as a whole, and the respect that he had for them as a players.<\/p>\n

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He even went as far to say that<\/p>\n

“There’s no doubt in my mind that you’re going to be in the NFL Hall of Fame, there’s no doubt,” Jones said. “It was just a couple months ago we were sitting here unbelievably with another player that will be there in the Hall of Fame [Martin]. We won’t have a player ever with the Dallas Cowboys, I can predict this, that shares better credentials on how they came, how they work, how they use their background to work and what they accomplished and meant to the team.”<\/p>\n

In total, Smith played 13 years with the Cowboys, and graded out as one of the most dominant players at the position in the league over his career. Over that time he earned two first-team All-Pro nods, three second-team All-Pro nods, made eight Pro Bowls, and was named to the 2010s NFL All-Decade Team.<\/p>\n

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Martin had a similar track record, seven first-team All-Pro teams, two second-team All-Pro Teams, nine Pro Bowls, and joined Smith on the 2010s All-Decade Team.<\/p>\n

Suffice it to say, it will take a lot of work and luck to find players of that caliber for this team again going forward.<\/p>\n

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\"Tyron<\/div>\n
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Tyron Smith calls Dallas home as he retires with the Cowboys following a season with the Jets Article Image 0 , The Canadian Press<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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FRISCO, Texas (AP) \u2014 Tyron Smith signed the ceremonial contract allowing the standout left tackle to retire with the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, and prompting beaming owner Jerry Jones to declare, \u201cOfficially a Cowboy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones wasn’t smiling a year ago when the Cowboys made the business decision to move on from the longtime anchor of their offensive line because of injuries, which led to Smith signing with the New York Jets.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was like losing a family member when he went to the Jets, really was,\u201d Jones said. \u201cAnd I couldn\u2019t talk to him, I couldn\u2019t have a small talk. I had a tough time talking, picking up that phone when he left us. And so it was with great pleasure that I put that old Jones on this contract today that will be the last one he signs in the NFL.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those 13 seasons with the Cowboys easily won out, particularly since it’s been less than two months since six-time All-Pro right guard Zack Martin, Smith’s teammate for 10 years, retired after spending all 11 of his seasons in Dallas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe moment I stepped into Dallas,\u201d Smith said at a retirement ceremony attended by the 34-year-old’s family and plenty of former teammates and coaches, \u201cI knew this was home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith made eight Pro Bowls in a nine-season span that included both of his All-Pro nods. But the injuries piled up, and he didn’t play a complete season over his final nine years after missing just one game through his first five seasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter this past year and over the years of injuries and things like that, it just kind of felt like it was the right time to hang it up,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI don’t want to be that guy down the line where I’m struggling, and I want to be healthy for my kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

At his best, Smith was perhaps the most dominant lineman in the storied franchise’s history \u2014 a massive, 6-foot-5, 320-pound frame that seemed to come out of a cartoon book. He wore knee braces on his elbows and still had the athletic ability to keep nearly every pass rusher off the blind side of quarterbacks Tony Romo and Dak Prescott.<\/p>\n

Smith was the first of three offensive linemen drafted in the first round by Dallas in a four-year span as the No. 9 overall pick in 2011. Center Travis Frederick was a late first-rounder in 2013, followed by Martin a year later. Frederick retired following the 2019 season.<\/p>\n

Smith played right tackle when he debuted as a 20-year-old rookie out of Southern California, making the switch to the higher-profile left side a year later.<\/p>\n

The selection of Smith triggered a rebuilding of the Dallas offensive line, which was among the NFL’s best within a few years.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can’t beat the group that we had,\u201d said Smith, who made 161 starts with the Cowboys before making 10 with the Jets. \u201cWe felt like we were on top of the world and unstoppable, and it’s no better feeling than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dallas had seven winning seasons and six playoff appearances during Smith\u2019s tenure, but couldn\u2019t get past the divisional round. The Cowboys have gone 29 seasons without reaching an NFC championship game since winning the franchise\u2019s fifth Super Bowl title.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a tragedy that we didn’t get a Super Bowl with you sitting out there at that left tackle,\u201d Jones said. \u201cBut that doesn’t take away from the fact of what you’ve accomplished in the NFL. And I want to be the first one to shake your hand when you go into that (Pro Football) Hall of Fame.\u201d<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tyron Smith and Zach Martin are two of the best players in the history of the Dallas Cowboys, and will be honored as such. 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