The NFL’s All-Decade Team for 2010-2019 is out and one former Notre Dame star made the team. As you could probably guess, it was an offensive lineman seeing as so many who came through turned to gold both in college and the pros over the last decade.
Zack Martin, one of the best linemen in the league since the day he was drafted walked away with the honors on Monday afternoon.
Congratulations to former Fighting Irish Offensive Lineman Zack Martin on being named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. #GoIrish x #IrishInTheNFL pic.twitter.com/huFN92J9Fv
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) April 6, 2020
Martin has been a force with the Dallas Cowboys as he’s been elected six times as an All-Pro and been selected for the Pro Bowl on six occasions in his six year career to date. By definition, nobody has dominated their position since 2014 like Martin has.
The 2010’s All-Decade Team:
Only players who received at least one selection to a Pro Bowl, Associated Press All-Pro team or Pro Football Writers Association all-conference team during the 2010-19 seasons were eligible. pic.twitter.com/wGbZEoSiGd
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) April 6, 2020
It’s hard to make a case for any Notre Dame players being snubbed offensively. Quenton Nelson has a pair of All-Pro appearances but has only played two seasons. Ronnie Stanley has been good but only 2019 in his career so far has been anywhere near that level and although Notre Dame puts a tight end in the pros just about every year, Kyle Rudolph (the best NFL career of the bunch) doesn’t touch Rob Gronkowski or Travis Kelce in terms of production or dominance.
The defensive side of the ball is another story as plenty of stars were taken in the secondary yet Harrison Smith was not one of them. He might not have the flash as some but I have a hard time believing there were eight better defensive backs in the game since 2012.