"It's just hard to get it all" - When Jerry Jones set the record straight on Zack Martin's contract holdout
In the summer of 2023, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones found himself in an uncomfortable spot with veteran offensive guard Zack Martin. The eight-time Pro Bowler skipped training camp seeking a pay raise, and Jones wasn’t thrilled.
During an interview with Jon Machota of The Athletic in July 2023, Jones didn’t mince words to express his disappointment with Martin’s situation:
“Nothing. He'll come to camp when he comes to camp. There's no resolution. There are a lot of consequences if he doesn't. … He's been at the top of the money all the way through, drafted high and got a lot of money, got a lot of money over the years. It's just hard to get it all. The bottom line is, nothing needs to happen.”
Martin felt underpaid in comparison to other elite offensive guards. While some accomplished guards were receiving $17 million annually, Martin had a contract worth $14 million per year, which was still among the top eight guards in terms of APY in NFL history.
However, Martin had justifiable reasons to demand higher pay. Leading up to the 2023 season, Martin had eight Pro Bowl seasons out of nine — the exception being 2020, when he was injured. He had been a foundational piece of the Cowboys’ offensive line, helping both Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott flourish in various seasons.
Martin’s reluctance to join the camp cost him nearly $50,000 per day in fines. Yet he refused to practice, to which Jones cited the reason behind his reluctance to increase Martin’s pay.
“It’s not about precedent. It’s about facts,” Jones told reporters. “The facts are, we need the money to pay (Micah) Parsons. We need the money to pay the players we’ve got to pay in the future. It’s a pie, and you only get so much of it.”
Jerry Jones agrees to Zack Martin's demand for pay raise
However, Zack Martin wasn’t happy with the reasoning, as he saw newer and younger players getting higher pay. Eventually, cooler heads prevailed. The Cowboys restructured Martin’s contract to a $36 million deal for two years that was fully guaranteed.
After playing for 11 seasons, Martin called curtains on his career in March. He wrote a heartfelt letter for his retirement speech, where he mentioned the first call he received from owner Jerry Jones.