Jerry Jones isn't ready to say goodbye to his All-Pro guard just yet.
During his Friday visit with The K&C Masterpiece on 105.3 The Fan, the Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager discussed Zack Martin undergoing season-ending surgery on his ankle, how it will impact the team on and off the field, and why there's no reason to draw any conclusions about Martin's future just yet.
"Having him on the field is obviously a tremendous confidence builder for the entire team. His presence and respect carry a lot of weight even when he's not on the field," Jones said. ... "He'll be missed. ... This shouldn't be viewed as an end to his playing (career) at all. ... It should be viewed as the remainder of this season, and only that."
Martin visited with the media on Thursday after head coach Mike McCarthy announced that his season was over, but he wasn't ready to discuss his future.
"This is not the time to have those discussions, and this is kind of all I'll say about that," Martin said, via Patrik Walker of DallasCowboys.com. "It's a tough situation and the most important thing on my mind is getting healthy, and then having those conversations down the road. First and foremost, I want to get healthy and maybe those conversations are a little bit easier."
Martin, 34, has missed the Cowboys' last two games due to ankle and shoulder injuries. He appeared in 10 games this season but hasn't looked like the future Hall of Famer we've grown accustomed to seeing throughout his 11-year career.
If this is the end of Martin's run, he'll retire as one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history. Martin is a seven-time First-Team All-Pro, a two-time Second-Team All-Pro, a nine-time Pro Bowler, and a member of the NFL's 2010 All-Decade Team.