The Dallas Cowboys have spent spring adding new names to first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer's roster, however, they've also lost a few familiar faces since the offseason began.
Some Dallas departures stemmed from free-agent signings, others left the franchise for different reasons. Long-time fan-favorite blocker Zack Martin dealt the Cowboys one of their biggest losses so far when he announced his NFL retirement to begin the offseason, ending his career after 11 memorable seasons in the Lone Star State.
Martin is a proven on- and off-field leader whose presence will be missed in 2025, especially by one teammate who just gave the recent retiree a big surprise.
Cowboys News: CeeDee Lamb Surprises Zack Martin After NFL Retirement
Martin was in Chantilly, VA over the weekend for the April CSA Show, which featured various current and former Cowboys players signing autographs. While signing a Dallas helmet, the nine-time Pro Bowl guard was surprised by former teammate CeeDee Lamb, who didn't waste any time hugging Martin (h/t @Brandoniswrite).
"What up?" Martin exclaimed upon realizing who was bear hugging him.
"Good to see you, brother," Lamb replied without missing a beat.
#Cowboys Zack Martin and CeeDee Lamb reunited for the first time since Martin’s retirement in March 🥹
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) April 7, 2025
(🎥: @CAA_Football on IG) pic.twitter.com/mttHpmIMEU
It's heart-warming to see the beloved duo keeping a close bond despite the all-time great blocker's recent retirement. Lamb, 25, has yet to experience a Cowboys roster without Martin, having shared the locker room for five seasons with him after being drafted 17th overall in 2020.
Lamb had a front-row seat to Martin's Hall-of-Fame-caliber career throughout the duo's five years together. The former Notre Dame blocker racked up a trio of Pro Bowl appearances during that stretch, as well as three consecutive first-team All-Pro nods (2021-23) — arguably, the best three-year stretch of his career.
Unfortunately, Father Time eventually caught up to Martin, proven by him only making 10 appearances during an injury-plagued 2024 campaign. Even though he still played well at times, it was clear that the NFL grind was too much for the 6-foot-4 offensive lineman, leading to his hanging up his cleats to give him the best shot at a pain-free life.
It'll be interesting to see how the Cowboys will fare without Martin protecting quarterback Dak Prescott. The Indianapolis, IN native only missed 11 career appearances before the 2024 season, further illustrating how much of a constant presence he truly was.
In the meantime, the Cowboys will end into the remainder of the NFL offseason tied for the 19th-best Super Bowl 60 odds (+7500) on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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