Dallas Cowboys have hope Zack Martin still could play in opener against Buccaneers
The Dallas Cowboys are still hoping that right guard Zack Martin will be available for Thursday’s season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Martin, who was put into the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol on Saturday, could successfully test negative twice in a 24-hour period before the 7:20 p.m. kickoff against the defending Super Bowl champions at Raymond James Stadium.
Neither Jerry Jones nor executive vice president Stephen Jones would explicitly say whether Martin is no longer showing COVID symptoms. But Jerry Jones said Martin was tested Tuesday morning.
Per NFL protocols, the two negative tests guidelines 24 hours apart aren’t valid until the player is asymptomatic. The exact nature of symptoms, however, is up to interpretation, Jerry Jones said.
“Symptoms are an interpretation,” Jerry Jones said. “If he’s feeling good. In the opinion of the medical people … I would venture to say that if we could get the negative tests, his symptoms would qualify him to play.”
But without two negative tests, the “interpretation” of Martin’s symptoms would be irrelevant.
“Still not out of the question. We won’t rule anybody out until there’s no chance to play,” said Stephen Jones, the team’s executive vice president. Martin could fly in the day of the game and be on site if he has a chance to be available, meaning if he tests negative by 6 p.m., for example, on Wednesday night. He could then conceivably test negative for the requisite second time about 80 minutes before Thursday night’s kickoff.
The Cowboys have three players remaining who have yet to start the COVID vaccine process, Stephen Jones said. That includes the 53-man roster and the practice squad.
Both Jerry and Stephen Jones sounded very positive about Martin’s prospects to play in the opener.
“We feel very good that he’s doing really well,” Stephen Jones said.
Jerry Jones said he’s not concerned about Martin being sidelined for five days prior to the game, if he is, in fact, available on Thursday.
“Zack Martin? Not at all. I’m glad he had the rest, so to speak. Not glad he got COVID, but glad he got some rest,” Jerry Jones said. “We should be going down to the last 30 seconds. If we can get him two [negative tests] before the game we’ll be in good shape.”
This story was originally published September 7, 2021 at 2:26 PM.
