This is the season for NFL retirements.

Last week, two potential early retirements were announced, with Wide Receiver Julio Jones and Defensive Back Patrick Peterson hanging up their cleats.  Today, Offensive Tackle Tyron Smith signed a ceremonial deal with the Dallas Cowboys, the team that drafted him ninth overall in 2011, so he could retire in “Big D.” 

A Cowboy for the first 13 of his 14 seasons, Smith went to eight Pro Bowls, seven of which were consecutive (2013 to 2019).  He was also selected for two First Team All-Pros (2014 & 2016).  Smith, who started all 171 of his NFL games, was regarded as one of the football’s elite stoppers of pass-rushers and, had he not suffered a slew of injuries late in his career, could have been one of the best Tackles of all time.

Smith is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2030, and in our pre-2024 Notinhalloffame Football monitor, he was ranked #22 overall.  Notably, he retires two months after his longtime lineman Zack Martin.

We here at notinhalloffame.com would wish Tyron Smith the best in his post-playing career.