FRISCO, Texas — The Cowboys will be without right guard Zack Martin for Thursday’s season opener, as arguably their team’s best player has tested positive for COVID-19, coach Mike McCarthy announced Sunday.
Martin, a six-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection, tested positive on Saturday morning after experiencing mild flu-like symptoms and taste loss, a source said. He is fully vaccinated, a status that while not preventing the virus from transmitting is widely determined to reduce a case’s severity.
“He’s frustrated obviously,” McCarthy said of Martin. “But hey, this is the world we live in right now.”
Connor McGovern is expected to start Thursday evening at the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Martin likely will be available for the Cowboys’ second game on Sept. 19 at the Los Angeles Chargers.
He and reserve guard/tackle Brandon Knight were both added Sunday to the Reserve/COVID-19 list, although Knight hasn’t tested positive at this time, a team spokesperson said. Knight will be evaluated regularly in the coming days as a high-risk close contact.
Martin and Knight push the total to nine Cowboys players to join Reserve/COVID-19 in a 16-day period. Six of those nine were the result of positive tests: wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, defensive tackle Carlos Watkins, safety Damontae Kazee, left guard Connor Williams, wide receiver Noah Brown and Martin. All but Brown and Martin have since been activated.
Safety Malik Hooker, safety Israel Mukuamu and Knight were considered close contacts. None were fully vaccinated at the time of Reserve/COVID-19 placement, although all had at least one vaccination shot at the time.
Watkins and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn were the first to test positive, being sent home on Sept. 21 shortly before a preseason game against the Houston Texans. Both were fully vaccinated.
McCarthy said that the entire Cowboys team underwent COVID-19 testing between a 5:30 to 8:00 a.m. window Sunday. In addition, the clubs altered its meetings to a virtual format. Practice was held as scheduled.
