Tyron Announces Emotional Cowboys Goodbye With Jerry

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys' goodbye to Tyron Smith here inside The Star on Wednesday was executed in a manner as unique as Tyron himself.

And “America’s Team” owner Jerry Jones is one of the reasons why.

This was destined to be an emotional day for myriad reasons. Tyron is at 34 retiring from the NFL after 14 notable seasons, the first 13 as a perennial All-Pro in Dallas.

But Smith, who finished his on-field career last year as a member the New York Jets, also signed a ceremonial one-year contract to officially end his illustrious career as a “Cowboy for Life.”

And one more factor playing into Tyron’s incredible stint during which he became a beloved all-time Cowboys …

His relationship with the Jones family is a special one.

“The moment I stepped into Dallas, I knew I was home,” Smith said to a large gathering of friends, family and former teammates and coaches,

Countered Jerry, part of his heartfelt presentation: “Nobody in the draft had a higher character … the highest.”

Smith’s time with Dallas featured eight Pro Bowl selections and five All-Pro nods. He signed a one-year deal with the Jets worth up to $20 million, but Smith started just 10 games at left tackle for New York as a neck injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Said Jerry: “It was like losing a family member when he went to the Jets.”

So yes, injury issues continued to plague him in the Big Apple just as they had at times in Big D.

Still …he played through them. And he played brilliantly, late in his career donning a trademark “elbow brace” … that was actually a knee brace that looked like he was wearing a car bumper on his arm.

The biggest wart, of course?

“It’s a tragedy,” Jerry said with a nod to Tyron, “that we didn’t win a Super Bowl.”

Tyron - retiring in the same offseason as fellow line icon Zack Martin - is going to the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday.

But on this day? It’s about Tyron in Texas. And in a unique way, it’s also about Jerry.