After the Dallas Cowboys saw franchise legend guard Zack Martin retire after one of the best careers any offensive lineman in league history has had, this fanbase must reckon with another franchise great in left tackle Tyron Smith calling it quits.
Smith intends to sign a one-day contract to retire as a Cowboy. Smith had left the only team he had known in the pros to sign a one-year deal with the New York Jets last season, but the 34-year-old's last gasp at a championship ring ultimately culminated in him walking away from the game.
While Smith may not have received a championship ring in his career, his status as one of the greatest players to ever have the Dallas star on the side of his helmet is beyond reproach. Smith might be the best left tackle in team history.
Cowboys legend Tyron Smith to retire after 14 seasons
Smith will likely earn a bust at the Hall of Fame in five years. In his 14-year career, Smith was named an eight-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro with two First-Team nods. Had injuries not led to nine straight seasons of playing fewer than 14 games, those numbers would have been much higher.
Smith's final season with the Jets did not go as planned, as he played in just 10 games for a five-win team and eventually lost his starting left tackle spot. Outside of the ring, the former first-round pick out of USC has achieved everything one could hope for in a pro career.
Between his high-end athletic ability, league-best pass protection, and his propensity to step his game up when it mattered most, Smith is everything a quarterback, coach, or owner could want in a left tackle. It's a shame his career ended in the fashion it did.
With both Smith and Martin retiring, Cowboys fans must face the truth that the old guard is out and a new generation needs to step in. Even if young linemen like Tyler Smith and Tyler Guyton continue to refine their skills, they will almost assuredly fail to reach to reach the standard set by Smith and Martin.
