Longtime NFL left deal with Tyron Smith is retiring, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Smith will signal a one-day contract to retire as a Cowboy, the staff for which he performed for 13 years earlier than ending his profession with the Jets in 2024.
Smith will retire as top-of-the-line offensive tackles of his era with two choices as a first-team All-Professional and eight as a Professional Bowler. He was initially the ninth general choose within the 2011 NFL Draft after taking part in faculty soccer on the College of Southern California. Smith began all 16 video games at proper deal with as a rookie in Dallas earlier than switching to the left aspect in 2012. He was named to seven-straight Professional Bowls from 2013 to 2019, beginning 100 video games at left deal with for the Cowboys in that span.
Accidents plagued Smith all through the second half of his profession. He didn’t begin greater than 13 video games in a season after 2015 and solely performed in 17 video games from 2020 to 2022 on account of neck, ankle and hamstring accidents. When wholesome, he was nonetheless top-of-the-line left tackles within the league, incomes a Professional Bowl nod in 2021 and a second-team All-Professional choice in 2023, his final yr in Dallas.
Smith then signed with the Jets in 2024, beginning their first 10 video games at left deal with earlier than a season-ending neck harm landed him on injured reserve. He mentioned that he was contemplating retirement after the season, a choice confirmed by Tuesday’s information. Smith will go away a $5.8M useless cap hit on the Jets’ 2025 wage cap, per OverTheCap.
The Jets have already got a alternative for Smith on their roster in 2024 first-round choose Olu Fashanu. He took over for Smith in Week 10 final season and began the subsequent 5 video games at left deal with earlier than a bout of plantar fasciitis sidelined him for the final two video games of the yr. Nonetheless, the Jets have little skilled depth at offensive deal with and can doubtless must spend money on the place earlier than the beginning of the 2025 season.
The Cowboys have scheduled a press convention on Wednesday for Smith to formally announce his retirement, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. He’s the second longtime Cowboys offensive lineman to retire this offseason; Smith’s former teammate, proper guard Zack Martin, retired in February.
