Zack Martin is the Cowboys nominee for NFL Man of the Year

Zack Martin is the perfect player to represent the Dallas Cowboys for NFL Man of the Year.

The NFL Man of the Year was established in 1969. It’s given every season to the player who best exhibits philanthropy, community service, and excellence on the field of play. Once Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton passed away in 1999, the award was named after him, and it’s considered to be the most prestigious honor along with the Hall of Fame that any player can receive. This year, the nominee for the Dallas Cowboys is nine-time All-Pro guard Zack Martin.

Dallas is no stranger to having recipients of this award. Past winners include Roger Staubach (1978), Troy Aikman (1997), Jason Witten (2012), and Dak Prescott (2022). All 32 nominees will wear a helmet decal for the rest of the season that represents the trophy. The winner will wear a patch that shows the trophy on their uniform for the rest of their playing careers.

The winner will receive a $250,000 donation in his name to a charity of his choice, and the other 31 nominees receive $50,000. The announcement of the winner takes place during the NFL Honors ceremony, and he will be acknowledged during the pre-game ceremony at the Super Bowl.

Martin has been with the Cowboys for 11 seasons. During his time with the organization, he’s not only been a constant example of leadership with his play but with what he does off the field. Martin is involved with the National Medal of Honor Museum, which celebrates Medal of Honor winners throughout the year. He’s gotten the entire offensive line to be a part of it as well with their “My Clause My Cleats” tradition. Each member of the unit has donated at least one pair of their cleats to the cause over the last three seasons.

Also, Martin is heavily involved with the Salvation Army. Every year, he hands out early meals for Thanksgiving, provides toys for Christmas through the Salvation Army Angel Tree program as well as visiting local children’s hospitals.

Martin is the perfect nominee to represent the Cowboys with all that he does to give back to the community. It’s a shame that season-ending ankle surgery has cut short his 2024 season.