{"id":8420,"date":"2024-12-07T07:15:36","date_gmt":"2024-12-07T07:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=8420"},"modified":"2024-12-07T07:15:36","modified_gmt":"2024-12-07T07:15:36","slug":"report-zack-martin-issues-2-word-take-on-cloudy-cowboys-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=8420","title":{"rendered":"REPORT: Zack Martin Issues 2-Word Take on Cloudy Cowboys Future!"},"content":{"rendered":"
Dallas Cowboys right guard Zack Martin is entering new territory after news broke of his season-ending ankle injury.<\/div>\n
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Dallas Cowboys\u00a0right guard Zack Martin, who has been a staple of the offensive line since being drafted in 2014, might face his football mortality over the next couple of months.<\/p>\n

Having been dealing with a host of injuries this season, Martin has seen an ankle injury, which hasn’t progressed the way that athletic trainer Britt Brown had hoped, end his season with the decision to have\u00a0surgery to fix it being made this week.<\/p>\n

Given Martin’s age, it is natural to think that this might be the seven-time All-Pro’s last season, and ending it on the sidelines is something that Zack isn’t all that familiar with.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t think it’s really hit me, this is new territory for me,\u201d Martin said. \u201cI think I’ve had one other year where the 2020 year where I missed the last six or seven games but other than that, I’ve been out there and been able to finish the year, so it’s kind of new territory, and I haven’t really I haven’t got gotten that far mentally yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Cowboys<\/p>\n

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\u00a9 Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Given where Martin is at in his career, coupled with now having his season end due to mounting injuries, the 2-word take – \u201cnew territory\u201d – says a great deal.<\/p>\n

There could be a cause for sitting back and reflecting on what he’s accomplished, but he has a constant reminder by the number of stars that sit underneath his name on his locker which indicate the Pro Bowls made. That would be nine.<\/p>\n

“I got a ton of pride in what I’ve done and what I’ve accomplished this league,” Martin added. \u201cWe’ll see what the future holds, but a ton of pride.”<\/p>\n

Given where Martin is at in his career, coupled with now having his season end due to mounting injuries, the 2-word take – \u201cnew territory\u201d – says a great deal.<\/p>\n

There could be a cause for sitting back and reflecting on what he’s accomplished, but he has a constant reminder by the number of stars that sit underneath his name on his locker which indicate the Pro Bowls made. That would be nine.<\/p>\n

“I got a ton of pride in what I’ve done and what I’ve accomplished this league,” Martin added. \u201cWe’ll see what the future holds, but a ton of pride.”<\/p>\n

There will be a lot to play out over the coming months, with Martin stating he is scheduled for surgery next week and head coach\u00a0Mike McCarthy revealing that he has told the All-Pro guard to focus on his rehab, not his future.<\/p>\n

But the big elephant in the room is whether or not we have seen Zack for the last time in a Cowboys uniform… and the more we think back on our reporting of the \u201cBlow It Up\u201d plan and Martin\u2019s coordinated departure, the more it feels like this might be the end of a Hall of Fame career.<\/p>\n

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