Zack Martin on getting contract settled with Dallas: 'I wanted to be a Cowboy'
Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Zack Martin officially ended his holdout Monday, agreeing to a new two-year deal worth more than $36 million.
In the end, the six-time first-team All-Pro never wanted to leave Dallas.
“I never wanted to play anywhere else,” Martin told Todd Archer of ESPN. “And that’s when I’d get some anxiety or have a rough day during this thinking about that. That’s what it came down to: I don’t want to play anywhere else. I don’t want to play for another organization. I don’t want to move my family and was just hoping that something would get done, and luckily we were able to get together and figure it out.”
By securing a new deal, Martin will earn more than $8 million of what he was to make in 2023 and ’24. Martin becomes the third-highest paid guard in the league behind the Atlanta Falcons’ Chris Lindstrom and the Indianapolis Colts’ Quenton Nelson, who make $20.5 and $20 million respectively.
Zack Martin agrees to new deal after meeting with Jerry Jones
Martin said that a face-to-face meeting with team owner Jerry Jones ahead of the preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars Saturday helped resolve the contract impasse.
“He was great,” Martin said. “We were able to have that one-on-one time, and I think that helped, just being able to talk face to face. I think ultimately that’s what made me feel more comfortable and how he felt more comfortable and then we started talking about this and numbers and where we eventually headed.”
Martin, fined $50,000 for each day he did not report to training camp, said he felt deserving of a new contract given his production since entering the league in 2014.
“I just think I’ve been here a long time,” Martin said. “I’ve accomplished some great things but just felt like where I was in the market that it’s something that had been deserved and felt strongly about it. Obviously it took a little time, but I’m super grateful to the Joneses. Once we started talking and having that connection we were able to figure something out that worked for both of us.”
With the contract situation behind him, Martin will turn his attention to getting ready for the regular season opener against the New York Giants on Sept. 10. Martin, who missed a chunk of the offseason program with a calf injury, said he should be up to speed in one-two weeks time.
“Sounds like I’ll get some time to get my legs underneath me, working in individuals, get some condition and work my way into it,” Martin said. “We’ll see. I feel pretty confident in the shape I’m in but nothing mimics football shape than actually playing football. Hopefully a week, two weeks I’ll start feeling good and start feeling like I’m ready to rock.”