# Tyron Smith
**Tyron Smith** (born 1990) is a former [American football](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-football) offensive tackle who played 14 seasons in the NFL, 13 of them with the [Dallas Cowboys](https://www.edgepedia.org/dallas-cowboys), who drafted him ninth overall out of USC in 2011. He made eight Pro Bowls and was a two-time first-team All-Pro, and he retired as a Cowboy in April 2025 after one final season with the [New York Jets](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-jets).[1](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/tyron-smith-puts-bow-on-14-year-nfl-career-with-cowboys-i-knew-this-was-home) • [2](https://usctrojans.com/news/2011/4/28/Tyron_Smith_Picked_Ninth_In_First_Round_By_Cowboys)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990; listed 6 feet 5 inches and 307 pounds in 2023[3](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/cowboys/z5bcijfv8d2nqhvdzjqx.pdf) |
| Draft | Ninth overall, 2011 NFL Draft, Dallas Cowboys, from Southern California[2](https://usctrojans.com/news/2011/4/28/Tyron_Smith_Picked_Ninth_In_First_Round_By_Cowboys) |
| Career span | 2011–2024, 171 games; Dallas 2011–2023, New York Jets 2024[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/tyron-smith/stats/career) |
| Honors | Eight Pro Bowls; AP first-team All-Pro 2014 and 2016; AP second-team All-Pro 2013, 2015, and 2023[5](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/tyron-smith/6161/stats) |
| Best season | 2023: 84.3 PFF overall grade and 88.6 pass-blocking grade, the highest-graded pass-blocking tackle in the league[6](https://www.nfl.com/news/jets-expected-to-sign-former-cowboys-ot-tyron-smith) |
| Retirement | April 16, 2025, on a one-day Cowboys contract; Hall of Fame eligible in 2030[1](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/tyron-smith-puts-bow-on-14-year-nfl-career-with-cowboys-i-knew-this-was-home) • [7](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/past-present-how-tyron-smith-is-helping-the-o-line) |
## Draft and arrival in Dallas
[The Cowboys](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cowboys) selected Smith with the ninth overall pick on April 28, 2011, making him the 75th first-round pick in USC history, a total no other college matched at the time.[2](https://usctrojans.com/news/2011/4/28/Tyron_Smith_Picked_Ninth_In_First_Round_By_Cowboys) • [8](https://usctrojans.com/news/2011/4/1/blog-2011-04-texas-tyron-html) The choice carried franchise weight. It was only the fourth time in team history, and the first since 1981, that Dallas had spent a first-round pick on an offensive lineman, and owner [Jerry Jones](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-jones) had not used a first-rounder on the position since he bought the team in 1989.[9](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/cowboys/pl3hkmcfrbygavif2xzk.pdf) • [1](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/tyron-smith-puts-bow-on-14-year-nfl-career-with-cowboys-i-knew-this-was-home) The draft class around the pick was strong; J.J. Watt was still available when Dallas went on the clock, and the team chose the left tackle after doing its due diligence on Watt.[10](https://www.nfl.com/news/cowboys-don-t-regret-passing-on-j-j-watt-in-11-draft-0ap3000000404290)
Smith started immediately. As a rookie he and fellow 2011 draft choice Bill Nagy gave the franchise its first season opener with two rookies starting on the offensive line.[11](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/cowboys/k3i9j2zypk8dmlsbsxfm.pdf)
## Career with the Cowboys
Smith spent his first 13 seasons in Dallas, mostly at left tackle, protecting the blindside of [Tony Romo](https://www.edgepedia.org/tony-romo) and then [Dak Prescott](https://www.edgepedia.org/dak-prescott), whom he protected for eight of his 14 seasons.[7](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/past-present-how-tyron-smith-is-helping-the-o-line) • [1](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/tyron-smith-puts-bow-on-14-year-nfl-career-with-cowboys-i-knew-this-was-home) He signed an eight-year contract extension through 2023 during his time in Dallas.[3](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/cowboys/z5bcijfv8d2nqhvdzjqx.pdf) His eighth [Pro Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-bowl) trip, earned after the 2023 season, tied Emmitt Smith for the sixth-most in team history.[3](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/cowboys/z5bcijfv8d2nqhvdzjqx.pdf)
**Peak years.** In 2016, [Pro Football Focus](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-football-focus) graded Smith as the No. 2 tackle in the league among players with at least 600 blocking snaps, and no tackle duo received a higher blocking ranking than Smith and [La'el Collins](https://www.edgepedia.org/lael-collins) that season.[12](https://www.nfl.com/news/niners-de-nick-bosa-cowboys-ots-tyron-smith-and-la-el-collins-are-definitely-bea) In 2023, his final Dallas season, he set career highs with an 84.3 overall grade and a 90.1 run-blocking grade, and his 88.6 pass-blocking grade led all tackles.[13](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-pff-offensive-tackle-rankings-top-32-ahead-of-the-2024-nfl-season) • [6](https://www.nfl.com/news/jets-expected-to-sign-former-cowboys-ot-tyron-smith)
**Injuries.** [Availability](https://www.edgepedia.org/availability) was the recurring limit on an otherwise decorated career. In 2017 a knee injury ended his season, and his absence was felt immediately: with backup Chaz Green filling in at left tackle against Atlanta, Adrian Clayborn recorded six sacks in a single game, the first six-sack performance since [Osi Umenyiora](https://www.edgepedia.org/osi-umenyiora)'s in 2007.[14](https://as.com/us/us/2017/11/14/nfl/1510654412_322903.html) • [15](https://as.com/us/us/2017/11/15/nfl/1510763407_485435.html) His game counts tell the pattern: 16 games in each of 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015, but 2 in 2020, 4 in 2022, and 13 in 2023.[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/tyron-smith/stats/career)
The line's dependence on him was measurable.
## Jets season and retirement
Dallas did not re-sign Smith after 2023, and he joined the New York Jets in March 2024 on a one-year deal worth up to $20 million.[16](https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2024/03/13/cowboys-offseason-signing) • [6](https://www.nfl.com/news/jets-expected-to-sign-former-cowboys-ot-tyron-smith) He played 10 games for the Jets in 2024, finishing with a 73.7 PFF overall grade, 29th among 81 qualified tackles, with 592 offensive snaps and 22 total pressures allowed.[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/tyron-smith/stats/career) • [5](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/tyron-smith/6161/stats) An injury landed him on injured reserve during the season and raised questions about whether he would continue playing.[17](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2025-free-agent-rankings-offensive-tackles)
On April 16, 2025, Smith retired, signing a one-day contract with Dallas at a ceremony attended by Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones. "The moment I stepped in Dallas, I knew this was home," he said.[1](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/tyron-smith-puts-bow-on-14-year-nfl-career-with-cowboys-i-knew-this-was-home) Jones credited him with changing the franchise's thinking about spending a first-round pick on an offensive lineman.[1](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/tyron-smith-puts-bow-on-14-year-nfl-career-with-cowboys-i-knew-this-was-home)
## Legacy
Smith is regarded as one of the best tackles of his era and is considered likely to reach the [Pro Football Hall of Fame](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-football-hall-of-fame); he becomes eligible in 2030.[7](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/past-present-how-tyron-smith-is-helping-the-o-line) He anchored the Dallas line alongside [Zack Martin](https://www.edgepedia.org/zack-martin) and [Travis Frederick](https://www.edgepedia.org/travis-frederick) during one of the franchise's strongest stretches of offensive line play, and he recalled a Week 12 game in 2014, a 31-28 comeback win over the Giants on Sunday Night Football, as the moment the group's identity crystallized for him.[1](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/tyron-smith-puts-bow-on-14-year-nfl-career-with-cowboys-i-knew-this-was-home)
He has stayed close to the game. Since retiring he has been a regular visitor at The Star during the Cowboys' offseason program, working with the current offensive tackles, including left tackle Tyler Guyton, on technique and footwork.[7](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/past-present-how-tyron-smith-is-helping-the-o-line)
## References
1. [Tyron Smith puts bow on 14-year NFL career, retires with Cowboys, DallasCowboys.com](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/tyron-smith-puts-bow-on-14-year-nfl-career-with-cowboys-i-knew-this-was-home)
2. [Tyron Smith Picked Ninth In First Round By Cowboys, USC Athletics](https://usctrojans.com/news/2011/4/28/Tyron_Smith_Picked_Ninth_In_First_Round_By_Cowboys)
3. [2023 Dallas Cowboys schedule and media information, NFL.com](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/cowboys/z5bcijfv8d2nqhvdzjqx.pdf)
4. [Tyron Smith Career Stats, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/players/tyron-smith/stats/career)
5. [Tyron Smith PFF stats and honors, Pro Football Focus](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/tyron-smith/6161/stats)
6. [Jets expected to sign former Cowboys OT Tyron Smith to one-year deal worth up to $20 million, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/jets-expected-to-sign-former-cowboys-ot-tyron-smith)
7. [Past/Present: How Tyron Smith is helping the O-line, DallasCowboys.com](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/past-present-how-tyron-smith-is-helping-the-o-line)
8. [Texas Tyron, USC Ripsit Blog](https://usctrojans.com/news/2011/4/1/blog-2011-04-texas-tyron-html)
9. [Tyron Smith player biography, Dallas Cowboys media guide](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/cowboys/pl3hkmcfrbygavif2xzk.pdf)
10. [Cowboys don't regret passing on J.J. Watt in '11 draft, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/cowboys-don-t-regret-passing-on-j-j-watt-in-11-draft-0ap3000000404290)
11. [Tyron Smith game-by-game notes, Dallas Cowboys](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/cowboys/k3i9j2zypk8dmlsbsxfm.pdf)
12. [Niners DE Nick Bosa: Cowboys OTs Tyron Smith and La'el Collins are 'definitely beatable', NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/niners-de-nick-bosa-cowboys-ots-tyron-smith-and-la-el-collins-are-definitely-bea)
13. [PFF Offensive Tackle Rankings: Top 32 ahead of the 2024 NFL season, Pro Football Focus](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-pff-offensive-tackle-rankings-top-32-ahead-of-the-2024-nfl-season)
14. [La noche de Clayborn: 750.000 dólares en un sólo partido, AS.com](https://as.com/us/us/2017/11/14/nfl/1510654412_322903.html)
15. [Parte de entreguerras: Se llenan las 'IR' de los equipos, AS.com](https://as.com/us/us/2017/11/15/nfl/1510763407_485435.html)
16. [What the Dallas Cowboys have done so far this offseason, Axios Dallas](https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2024/03/13/cowboys-offseason-signing)
17. [2025 NFL Free Agent Rankings: Offensive tackles, Pro Football Focus](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2025-free-agent-rankings-offensive-tackles)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Offensive tackles*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license