Tyron Smith spent 14 years in the NFL dominating at the tackle position, and 13 of those were with the Dallas Cowboys. That’s where he chose to end his career. The two-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler signed a ceremonial one-day contract with the Cowboys and officially announced his retirement.
Smith was a starter from Day 1, starting all 171 games he played. He was the first offensive lineman Dallas had taken in the first round since 1981. Drafted No. 9 overall in 2011, he teamed up with Travis Frederick and Zack Martin to anchor one of the best offensive lines in NFL history. Martin retired two months ago.
During his farewell, Smith thanked the Cowboys for treating him like family after he joined the team at age 20. But in an “I’m not crying, you are” moment, the future Hall of Famer took time during his retirement press conference to give Dak Prescott the ultimate compliment a player can give another.
Tyron Smith Has One Specific Former Teammate He Wants To Shout Out
“I also want to recognize Dak Prescott. One of the best teammates I ever had,” Smith said. “Dak cares deeply about everyone in the locker room, and he’s more than a teammate. He’s a lifelong friend. And I’ll always have your back. You’ll always be QB1 to me.”
Smith protected Tony Romo for five seasons before Prescott took over under center in 2016. He didn’t miss a game during his first five years and was named first-team All-Pro twice and second-team once. From 2013 to 2015, he was a dominant force and played in 100% of his team’s snaps.
But injuries started to pile up after that. A knee injury here, an ankle injury there—over four years, he averaged just 13 games a season. Still, he was selected to the Pro Bowl each of those years.
Things went south in 2020 when he herniated a disc. He played in only two games that season, underwent neck surgery, and missed the rest of the year, snapping a seven-year Pro Bowl streak. He played in only 11 games in 2021, then missed all but four the next season after suffering a hamstring avulsion.
Smith restructured his contract in 2023 and stayed with Dallas for one more year before finishing his career with the New York Jets in 2024. He played just 10 games for New York before ending the season on injured reserve with another neck injury.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will no doubt put Smith in the Cowboys Ring of Honor. As for the Hall of Fame, that feels like a lock. The only question is when.
