By Sunday 
Zack Martin’s Legacy Stands Tall — Even Without a Ring
For over a decade, Zack Martin was the gold standard of NFL offensive linemen — a bulldozing, penalty-free machine who quietly built a Hall of Fame résumé in Dallas. And while the longtime Cowboys guard may have never sniffed a Super Bowl, let alone an NFC Championship Game, he’s still going down as one of the league’s greatest hidden draft gems.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon recently named Martin one of the “Greatest NFL Draft Picks” of the last 25 years — specifically outside the Top 10 — and honestly, who’s arguing?
“Only 13 players in NFL history have earned more first-team All-Pro honors than Martin,” Gagnon wrote. “He’ll eventually be in Canton. He probably should have been the No. 1 pick in this draft (it’s him or Khalil Mack).”
That’s not just praise. That’s reverence.
A Career of Quiet Dominance
Selected 16th overall in the 2014 draft out of Notre Dame, Martin wasted no time proving himself. In 11 NFL seasons, he racked up:
- 9 Pro Bowl selections
- 7 First-Team All-Pro honors
- Only 7 accepted holding penalties — one for each All-Pro nod.
Not too shabby for a guy who spent his entire career keeping defenses honest without any of the flashy stats.
What he lacked in postseason hardware, he more than made up for in bank balance: $111.9 million in career earnings, including a massive 6-year, $84.1M extension inked back in 2018.
Cowboys Already Eyeing the Next Big Thing
Dallas wasted no time preparing for the post-Martin era, snagging Alabama’s Tyler Booker with the No. 12 pick in the 2025 draft. At just 21, Booker’s already drawing comparisons to the elite company of Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, and yes — Zack Martin himself.
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer:
“He has been with the starters from the first OTA through the minicamp… He is being viewed… as a Day 1 starter.”
The Cowboys are betting big on the 6-foot-5, 321-pound lineman who led Alabama with leadership and All-American-caliber play. The future looks bright — even as the team closes the book on one of its most respected players.
No Ring, No Problem
Sure, Martin never played in a Super Bowl. But in a sport where greatness often gets boiled down to bling, his career proves something bigger: dominance isn’t always loud.
Martin was never flashy, but he was relentless. Dependable. Precise. And that’s exactly why he’s being remembered as one of the best draft picks in recent memory.