It was a long time coming, but the Dallas Cowboys said goodbye to another all-time great this week when longtime left tackle Tyron Smith announced his retirement from the NFL.
Smith, who suited up for the NY Jets last season, signed a one-year contract to retire with the Cowboys. Smith will be placed on the reserve/retired list in due time, putting an end to a dominant career that featured eight Pro Bowls, five All-Pro nods and a spot on the 2010s All-Decade Team.
Jerry Jones confirmed at Wednesday's retirement presser that Smith and Zack Martin will be inducted into the team's Ring of Honor. While Jones did not provide a timeline, the induction might align with when Smith and Martin are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Jones got plenty emotional giving Smith his tribute, but he and the Cowboys wasted no time turning the page. The team quickly assigned veteran offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles the No. 77 jersey, which Smith donned his entire professional career.
It took 1 day for the Cowboys to disrespect Tyron Smith after his retirement
That was fast.
While Smith is no longer a member of the team and last played for Dallas in 2023, you would think Jones would have at least let the ink dry on Smith's one-year retirement pact before giving away his jersey.
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The Cowboys infamously don't retire jersey numbers and Smith didn't win enough to warrant consideration for that, but we are also talking about one of the most decorated offensive lineman in franchise history.
It's worth noting that Charles has worn No. 77 in each of his four seasons. Perhaps the number has some meaning behind it. It is also possible that Charles cleared it with Smith to take the jersey. That has not been reported, but those exchanges can take place behind the scenes.
Still, though, Smith's retirement press conference took place on Wednesday and Charles was assigned the No. 77 on Thursday. Nobody would bat an eye if Jones waited a week or two to assign the jersey. That it took a mere 24 hours for Jones to turn the page is pretty disrespectful.
There is also something off-putting about Charles getting it. That is nothing against Charles, but he was just signed out of retirement (!) a few weeks ago. It would be a different story if No. 77 was given to Smith's understudy or another young lineman.
While not a huge deal in the grand scheme, it is a decision that reflects poorly on the franchise. Those happen all too often under Jones.