Marc Colombo Officially Retires a Dallas Cowboy

Despite not starting or finishing his career in Dallas, Marc Colombo still considers himself a Cowboy.

"I felt like this is the first thing I wanted to do when my time was up – come back here to the Dallas Cowboys organization and remember what we did here," Colombo said. "I'm excited about this football team for the future. For you guys to take an average, hard-working guy like me and make a big deal like this, it's greatly appreciated."

It seemed only fitting he retire with the team he had some of his most successful seasons, as Dallas signed him to a ceremonial one-year contract Wednesday. The cowboys will officially turn in his retirement papers to the NFL league office this week.

Colombo was a first-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2002. He joined Dallas in 2005 after an injury plagued time in Chicago where he had surgeries on both knees.

It turned out to be a good investment for Dallas as Colombo started five straight years at right tackle before the Cowboys waived him last year.

Colombo started all 16 games for the Dolphins in 2011, but said he told former Miami head coach Tony Sparano, who coached Colombo on the offensive line in Dallas, that he planned to retire after the season.