Rewind to 2014: The Cowboys’ war room buzzed like a Breaking Bad meth lab. Picking 16th, Jerry Jones eyed Johnny Football—college football’s rockstar QB—but then-coach Jason Garrett slammed the table for Zack Martin, a Notre Dame lineman with the charisma of a spreadsheet. Jones relented, grumbling, “It took a little convincing.” Fast-forward: Manziel flamed out faster than a TikTok trend, while Martin became the NFL’s answer to The Terminator—relentless, unbreakable, and hellbent on protecting his QB.

“We will miss you 🙏💙,” Dak Prescott’s fiancée, Sarah Jane Ramos, posted on Instagram, alongside a photo of Dak, and Zack Martin laughing. The caption hit like a tear-jerker scene from The Notebook—if Noah had spent a decade pancaking defensive tackles. Prescott chimed in with his own tribute: “The Best To Do It! Thank you Brother @thegob70.” Translation? The Dallas Cowboys’ heartbeat just flatlined. Martin, the human brick wall who anchored America’s Team for 11 seasons, is retiring—and taking a chunk of the Cowboys’ soul with him.

Martin’s rookie year? Pure poetry. He started all 16 games, earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors—first Cowboys rookie since 1969 to pull that off. By 2016, he was the linchpin of an O-line that turned Ezekiel Elliott into a rushing champ (1,631 yards, folks). “Zack’s the best,” Prescott said, shaking his head like a man who’d just witnessed magic. “Hard to fathom a huddle without him.” Cue the montage of Martin bulldozing defenders while Dak sipped coffee in a clean pocket.

But Martin’s legacy isn’t just stats—it’s survival. In 2020, he played tackle during an injury crisis, then gritted through a calf tear. “I gave everything I had,” he said, because quitting’s as foreign to him as a silent Texas stadium. Off the field, he hosted Prescott and crew for Thanksgivings, proving even legends know their way around a deep fryer.

Martin’s Ring of Honor 

But this isn’t just goodbye; it’s a golden ticket to immortality. Jerry Jones promptly promised Martin a spot in the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor, a pantheon that includes Emmitt Smith, Roger Staubach, and the ghost of Tom Landry’s fedora. “Consistency was my game,” Martin said in his retirement speech, sounding more like Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino than a guard who once made J.J. Watt question his career choices. “I took pride in making sure y’all could count on me every Sunday.” Spoiler: They did—162 straight starts, 9 Pro Bowls, 7 All-Pro nods. Try that on for size, Johnny Manziel.

The Ring of Honor isn’t just a plaque—it’s a Texas-sized tattoo on Cowboys history. Martin now joins icons like Emmitt Smith, whose rushing records still give NFC East nightmares, and Roger Staubach, the Navy vet who turned Hail Marys into hymns. “I never experienced anything like you,” Martin told fans, echoing the same awe Ted Lasso reserves for biscuits.

Jones’ promise? A no-brainer. Martin’s 2010s All-Decade Team nod and locker-room leadership made him a first-ballot lock. “His work ethic set the standard,” ex-coach Mike McCarthy said, likely picturing Martin’s film sessions—equal parts Moneyball analytics and Gladiator intensity. Even the Dr Pepper Ring of Honor Walk in Frisco will feel incomplete until Martin’s name gleams beside his heroes.

But here’s the kicker: Martin’s exit leaves a hole bigger than Texas. Backup guards Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass? Promising, but they’re Toy Story toys next to Buzz Lightyear. “Selectively aggressive,” VP Stephen Jones muttered about replacements, sounding like a guy who lost his wallet in a rodeo.

As Prescott and Ramos prep for their second daughter (due May 2025), they’ll miss Martin’s steady presence—both on the field and at BBQs. But Martin? He’s trading cleats for family time and maybe a podcast, because even legends need naps.

So here’s to Zack Martin: the guard who turned “consistency” into confetti, the teammate who made Thanksgiving turkeys and touchdown blocks look easy, and the Cowboy who’ll forever loom large in AT&T Stadium’s rafters. As Jones would say, “How ‘bout them Cowboys?” 🏈🌟