9:43pm: Martin is “dealing with a degenerative condition” in his ankle, per David Moore of The Dallas Morning News, fueling speculation that he has played his last snaps in the NFL.
Martin’s ankle had bothered him dating back to last season and flared up during training camp this year. The Cowboys tried to manage the injury, but it worsened in November. Martin originally planned to sit out two games and return in Week 14, but his ankle did not respond to his usual treatment regimen after Week 11. It became clear that Martin could not maintain his All-Pro level of play for the rest of the year. With Dallas all but eliminated from the playoffs, surgery became the best option, as it would give Martin a head-start on his recovery if he chooses to return in 2025.
Martin has previously hinted that the 2024 season would be his last, and his lasting ankle injury may provide additional reason to believe that he will retire after this year.
11:30am: Zack Martin suffered an ankle injury in Week 11, and it will keep him out of the Cowboys’ lineup for the rest of the year. The future Hall of Fame guard will undergo season-ending surgery, head coach Mike McCarthy announced on Thursday. 
Martin operated as a full-time starter during his 10 appearances in 2024, his 11th season with Dallas. The 2010s All-Decade team member has been a staple along the interior offensive line throughout his career, but there is a chance this news marks the end of his NFL playing tenure. Martin admitted this past summer he will give thought to retirement following the 2024 campaign.
The 34-year-old is a pending free agent, and in the event he were to hang up his cleats the Cowboys would face the challenging task of finding a replacement. In the immediate future, Dallas will continue with a shorthanded unit up front including former undrafted rookie T.J. Bass seeing time at guard. The team sits at 5-7 on the year, and news of Martin being gone the rest of the way adds further to the likelihood of the season ending without a postseason berth.
While Martin’s Cowboys tenure has not included a deep playoff run, his career features a long list of individual accolades. The former first-rounder has received nine Pro Bowl invitations and he has landed on nine total All-Pro lists (seven first-team, two second-team). Only in 2020 – when he was limited to just 10 games – did Martin not add to those figures. That will likely be the case again for 2024.
As the Cowboys prepare to make a number of key financial decisions this offseason, Martin’s future will be a central storyline for the franchise. The Notre Dame product has started all 162 of his appearances, operating as a consistent figure up front while other blockers have cycled through. Adding new options up front has been a draft priority in recent years, with Tyler Smith being selected in 2022 and fellow starters Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe being added this past April.
Finding a long-term right guard option would be a target this offseason if Martin were to retire. A decision on that front may not be made for several months, but it could take into account the lengthy rehab process which will await him once his operation takes place.
The Cowboys chose this 9 time Pro Bowler, 7 time All-Pro over Johnny Manziel in the 2014 NFL Draft. I’d say they made the right choice.
I wonder where they locked up Jerry during the draft
He and Skip Bayless were probably locked up together crying in their beer. Or whiskey.
The Cowboys had the best OLine with Martin, Smith, and Fredricks and completely wasted all that talent. Good Luck Martin. Go sign elsewhere next year. You deserve a chance at a championship with D Ware with Denver.