Dallas Cowboys officially bid farewell to longtime starting left tackle Tyrone Smith on Tuesday after 13 seasons with the team. The Cowboys posted: tribute video Upon his transfer to the New York Jets, he expressed his gratitude to the tackle who has played as an elite player for many years.
Smith, who was selected by Dallas with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of USC, has only played for one NFL team. During his 13-year tenure with the Cowboys, he guarded quarterbacks such as: tony romo, Kellen Moore, matt cassell, duck prescott, andy dalton and cooper rushamong others.
Smith penned his own heartfelt message to the Cowboys public this week before signing a new one-year contract worth up to $20 million.
Smith: “A piece of my heart will forever remain in Texas.”
“Humble, Cowboy Nation, I don’t even know where to start… 13 years summed up in one short letter to the thousands of people who made my time in Dallas so memorable. It's certainly been a long time. It's been a long and wild journey filled with many ups and downs, but you, Cowboy Nation, have been through it all,” Smith wrote.
“Thank you, the Jones family, for the incredible opportunity to play for the Cowboys and a life-changing experience that my family and I will be forever grateful for,” Smith continued. “I’ll never forget the feeling of running out of the tunnel at AT&T Stadium and the roar of the crowd after the big play.
“Cowboy Nation – thank you for everything. While I am excited about the next chapter of my football career, a part of my heart will forever remain in Texas. Until we meet again…”
Although he appeared in just 13 games for Dallas this season, the former first-round draft pick was reliable in his starting minutes, as evidenced by his first All-Pro selection since the 2016 season. His second-team selection earned him five All-Pro awards in his 13-year career.
Head coach Mike McCarthy called Smith's performance this season his best since taking over the team in 2020.With him at left tackle, the Cowboys' offensive line has allowed 39 sacks as a QB this season. duck prescott.
Smith will protect Aaron Rodgers, who will miss the 2023 season with an Achilles tendon injury. The veteran is excited about the chance to start something new.
“It feels like a great new start,” Smith said on the team's website this week. “What's being built here is amazing. It's built to win.”
