Cowboys’ Martin is All-Pro, but still rookie in teammates eyes
Zack Martin learned Friday that he had made the All-Pro team as a rookie. Unfortunately, it didn’t carry much weight with his teammates.
“I’m on coffee duty tomorrow,” Martin said.
The guard still receives rookie treatment in the offensive-line room despite making the Pro Bowl and now the All-Pro team. Martin, the 16th overall pick, was the only rookie named All-Pro and only the third rookie in team history to earn the honor, joining Bob Hayes and Calvin Hill. He finished second in voting at his position behind Baltimore’s Marshal Yanda (38) and two votes ahead of Green Bay’s Josh Sitton (22).
Martin had never played guard until this season.
“There was a little bit of not knowing,” Martin said. “Coach [Bill] Callahan and coach [Frank] Pollack and these guys have helped me out a ton. I think the great thing was from Day 1 when I got in here, that’s where they told me I was going to be, so I was able to focus on that right when I got down here and really focus on getting better on those things you need to do there.”
The Associated Press released the All-Pro team Friday, and the Cowboys were well represented on offense.
Besides Martin, running back DeMarco Murray, receiver Dez Bryant and left tackle Tyron Smith were first-teamers. Murray, the league’s leading rusher, garnered 48 of a possible 50 votes.
Smith was the leading vote-getter among tackles with 35.
Cowboys center Travis Frederick was named a second-teamer behind Pittsburgh’s Maurkice Pouncey.
Tony Romo finished second to Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, though he received only three votes to Rodgers 44. It’s a sign that the Cowboys quarterback will not garner enough support to win the MVP award, which is announced Jan. 31.
Crawford questionable
Defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford is questionable after not practicing Friday because of an illness.
Linebacker Anthony Hitchens has not practiced this week because of a high right ankle sprain. He also is questionable.
Right tackle Doug Free could miss his third game with a left ankle injury. The Cowboys list him as doubtful on their injury report, meaning Jermey Parnell likely will make his eighth career start, six this season.
Defensive tackle Nick Hayden (shoulder) and safety C.J. Spillman (groin) returned to practice on a limited basis Friday. They are probable.
McClain’s home
Rolando McClain can’t go home again. His $1.5 million Alabama mansion on Lake Tuscaloosa was destroyed in a fire Dec. 22.
“I can’t go back yet. It’s too much,” McClain said Friday, speaking about the incident for the first time.
McClain missed a day of practice last week to deal with the aftermath of the fire, though he didn’t return home. The six-bedroom, five-bath brick house was up for sale.
“This is your home. I don’t know if anybody here has ever lost a home, but it’s just a tough situation,” McClain said.
McClain missed last week’s regular-season finale with an illness. He did not make the trip to Washington.
“I felt like the best thing for the team was for me to not be on the plane with a 102-plus-degree fever,” McClain said. “I didn’t want to get anybody else sick and coach didn’t either.”
He is battling a knee injury, which limited him in practice Wednesday, but the Cowboys list him as probable.
Briefly
▪ The NFL fined safety Barry Church $16,537 for a horse-collar tackle of Redskins receiver DeSean Jackson last week. Church was not penalized on the third-quarter play.
▪ The Cowboys practiced indoors at Highland Park for the second consecutive day. They had not moved a practice from Valley Ranch this season until Thursday.
This story was originally published January 2, 2015 at 8:10 PM with the headline "Cowboys’ Martin is All-Pro, but still rookie in teammates eyes."