No. 28 | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||
Born: | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | May 1, 1973||||||||||||||
Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||
Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||
High school: | Allderdice (Pittsburgh) | ||||||||||||||
College: | Pittsburgh (1991–1994) | ||||||||||||||
NFL draft: | 1995 / round: 3 / pick: 74 | ||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Curtis James Martin Jr. (born May 1, 1973) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the New York Jets. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Martin spent his first NFL three seasons with the New England Patriots, who selected him in the third round of the 1995 NFL draft, and was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Martin joined the Jets in 1998, where he spent nine seasons before retiring after the 2006 season. A five-time Pro Bowl selection and a first-team All-Pro, Martin is sixth in total NFL rushing yards. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012. Martin is often regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. [1]
Curtis Jr. was born in Pittsburgh to Rochella Dixon and Curtis Sr. on May 1, 1973. [2] Curtis Sr. left the family in 1978 after turning to drugs and alcohol, leaving Curtis's mother to support the family by working three jobs. [2] During his youth, Curtis often moved around the various neighborhoods of Pittsburgh and was consistently surrounded by violence. [3] [4] His grandmother, Eleanor Johnson, was found murdered with a knife in her chest; at age 15, Martin had a near-death experience when the trigger of a loaded gun pointed at his head was pulled seven times, but never fired. [5]
He and his mother settled in Point Breeze prior to his sophomore year of high school. He began attending Taylor Allderdice High School which was known for its highly regarded academic reputation. [3] He played basketball as a sophomore, but did not participate in any sports during his junior year. [3] At the insistence of his mother, who wanted him to participate in an extracurricular activity as a way to keep him away from crime and violence, Curtis began to play football during his senior year, despite having never cared much for the sport. [4] [6]
Martin was considered a natural athlete, according to former head coach Mark Wittgartner and became an immediate star on the football team. He played at the running back and linebacker positions. He also played on special teams and occasionally at quarterback. [3] He ran for 1,705 yards and scored 20 touchdowns in his lone season of high school football. [6] Martin graduated from Allderdice in 1991 and was inducted into their alumni hall of fame in 2011. [7]
Martin's performance at Allderdice attracted the attention of the University of Pittsburgh's football coach Paul Hackett. Though other offers were available, Martin decided to remain close to home and attend Pittsburgh. [6]
Martin, whom Hackett likened to Tony Dorsett, was expected to be a valued contributor to the Panthers when he arrived in 1991. However, injuries plagued much of his college career. [6] As a junior, he rushed for 1,045 yards and caught 33 passes for 249 yards in ten games but he missed the final two with a sprained shoulder. [6] [8] In 1994, Martin opened his senior year running for a career-high 251 yards against Texas; however, the following week against Ohio he suffered a sprained ankle that sidelined him for the rest of the season. [8]
Martin had the option to redshirt and play one more season at Pittsburgh or enter the NFL draft. He chose to enter the draft stating "in the end it was the best thing to do". [8] Draft analysts predicted that had Martin stayed another season at Pittsburgh and remained injury-free he could have been a potential first-round selection. [8] Martin was highly touted for his speed—he ran a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash—and his slashing running style. [8]
Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 ft 11+1⁄4 in (1.81 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | 31+7⁄8 in (0.81 m) | 9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) | 4.10 s | 41.5 in (1.05 m) | 10 ft 11 in (3.33 m) | 16 reps | |||||
All values from the 1995 NFL Combine [9] |
The Patriots lost three running backs to free agency upon the conclusion of the 1994 season and sought to fortify their backfield. [8] One running back, Kevin Turner, was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as a restricted free agent and Philadelphia sent a third round selection to New England. [8] The Patriots used the selection to draft Martin in the 1995 NFL draft despite concerns about his durability. [8] [10] Martin signed a contract with the team on July 19, 1995, [11] and made his NFL debut in the Patriots' week one win over the Cleveland Browns. [12] Martin ran for 30 yards on his first carry and finished with 102 yards for the day. [12] [13] He became the first Patriots rookie to rush for 100 yards during their debut. [13] Martin continued his impressive streak and rushed for over 100 yards eight more times during the season. He finished the season as the AFC's leading rusher with 1,487 yards and 14 touchdowns. [13] He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and was named to the Pro Bowl. [13]
The following year, Martin only rushed for 100 yards twice during the season but recorded 1,152 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. [12] In the playoffs, Martin, playing in his first career playoff game, served as a key player in the Patriots' Divisional Playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He rushed for a then franchise-record 166 yards and three touchdowns including a 78-yard touchdown, the second-longest touchdown run in playoff history at the time. [14] The Patriots went on to play in Super Bowl XXXI, but lost to the Green Bay Packers. Martin rushed for 42 yards, caught three passes for 28 yards, and scored a touchdown in the game. It was at this game that a young Adrian Peterson fell in love with his hero Curtis Martin and vowed to wear the number 28 in his honor. [12] Martin was again named to the Pro Bowl. [15]
After the 1997 season, Martin became a restricted free agent. On the first day of the free agency period Martin's agent, Eugene Parker, contacted the New York Jets to gauge their interest in potentially signing the running back. [16] Negotiations ensued between Parker and Jets head coach and general manager Bill Parcells (who had left New England not long before) and an offer sheet was formulated. [16] Though Martin had reservations about playing in New York and particularly for a division rival, the presence of his former coach Parcells influenced his decision to ultimately join the Jets. [17] On March 20, 1998, Martin signed a six-year, $36-million poison pill contract. [18] [19] The "poison pill" was a clause in the contract that stated Martin would become an unrestricted free agent after one year if the Patriots matched the offer and it would have forced New England to pay a $3.3 million roster bonus that would have compromised their salary cap. [19] Under these conditions, the Patriots did not match the offer; however, they received the Jets' first and third round selections in the 1998 NFL draft as compensation after filing a complaint with the NFL management council, claiming the offer sheet violated the terms of the league's collective bargaining agreement at the time. [16] [20]
In his first seven seasons with the Jets, Martin missed only one game and was selected to the Pro Bowl three times. In 1998, Martin gained 182 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a Jets playoff win. In 2004, Martin rushed for a season-high 196 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals in the team's home opener, and would rush for over 100 yards eight more times that season, finishing with 1,697 yards. [21] Martin won the NFL rushing title by one more yard than runner-up Shaun Alexander and became the oldest player, at age 31, in league history to win the rushing title. [21] Martin was named the FedEx Ground Player of the Year and named an All-Pro and elected to his fifth and final Pro Bowl. [15] [22]
With the retirement of Emmitt Smith after 2004, Martin entered 2005 as the active leader in career rushing yards. In 2005, Martin suffered what was deemed as a strained right knee injury in the Jets' second game of the season against the Miami Dolphins, when he was tackled by linebacker Zach Thomas. [23] An MRI of the knee was negative and Martin continued to play through the season despite a noticeable drop-off in production, having only rushed for 100 or more yards once the entire season. [24] [25] On November 27, 2005, Martin joined Barry Sanders, Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith as the only running backs to rush for 14,000 yards in their career. [26] By December, the severity of the knee injury began to increase and Martin, despite wanting to become the second player (after Smith) to rush for 1,000 yards in 11 straight seasons, elected to have season-ending surgery, finishing with 735 yards on the season. [27] Martin began 2006 on the Physically Unable to Perform list as the post-operation recovery period took longer than expected though the surgery was considered minimally invasive. [28] By November 2006, despite months of rehabilitation, Martin was declared out for the season with a bone-on-bone condition in his right knee. [29] After re-negotiating his contract to help provide more salary cap room for the Jets, Martin announced his retirement in July 2007 thus ending his career having amassed 14,101 total rushing yards, the fifth highest total in NFL history. [30]
Following his retirement, Martin expressed interest in becoming the owner of an NFL franchise. [31] He continued to involve himself in various charity work including through the Curtis Martin Job Foundation, established by Martin during his playing career, designed to provide "financial aid and hands-on support to single mothers, children's charities, individuals with disabilities and low income housing providers". [32]
Martin was considered for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2011; however, he was not selected. [33] Martin was again a leading candidate for selection in 2012 alongside former head coach and mentor Bill Parcells. [34] He was selected for induction on February 4, 2012, and formally inducted on August 4, 2012. Martin's speech, which he conducted without notes, was widely praised by critics for its sincerity. [35]
The Jets retired Martin's No. 28 jersey in a halftime ceremony at New York's season-opening game against the Buffalo Bills on September 9, 2012. [36]
On November 11, 2013, Martin was added to the Miami Dolphins' five-man committee to develop the conduct code by owner Stephen M. Ross following a locker room hazing incident involving Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin. [37]
In 1998, on Father's Day, Martin and his mother Rochella began a long reconciliation process with his father, Curtis Sr., by renting a new, furnished condominium for his father, who had left the family due to his addictions to cocaine and alcohol. [2] In 1990, Curtis Sr. checked into a veteran's hospital for two weeks followed by a six-month stay at a rehabilitation center and was able to remain sober until his death from cancer, in June 2009 at age 58. The family members made peace with each other in the final weeks of the elder Martin's life. [2]
Martin married his longtime girlfriend Carolina Williams in a ceremony held at Oheka Castle in Huntington, Long Island in 2010. [38] On December 15, 2011, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Ava. [2]
Martin is a Christian. He became a Christian when he was 20 years old. He wore the number 28 because of Deuteronomy 28. [39]
Legend | |
---|---|
Led the league | |
Bold | Career high |
Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
1995 | NE | 16 | 15 | 368 | 1,487 | 4.0 | 49 | 14 | 30 | 261 | 8.7 | 27 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
1996 | NE | 16 | 15 | 316 | 1,152 | 3.6 | 57 | 14 | 46 | 333 | 7.2 | 41 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
1997 | NE | 13 | 13 | 274 | 1,160 | 4.2 | 70 | 4 | 41 | 296 | 7.2 | 22 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
1998 | NYJ | 15 | 15 | 369 | 1,287 | 3.5 | 60 | 8 | 43 | 365 | 8.5 | 23 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
1999 | NYJ | 16 | 16 | 367 | 1,464 | 4.0 | 50 | 5 | 45 | 259 | 5.8 | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
2000 | NYJ | 16 | 16 | 316 | 1,204 | 3.8 | 55 | 9 | 70 | 508 | 7.3 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
2001 | NYJ | 16 | 16 | 333 | 1,513 | 4.5 | 47 | 10 | 53 | 320 | 6.0 | 27 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
2002 | NYJ | 16 | 16 | 261 | 1,094 | 4.2 | 35 | 7 | 49 | 362 | 7.4 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2003 | NYJ | 16 | 16 | 323 | 1,308 | 4.0 | 56 | 2 | 42 | 262 | 6.2 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
2004 | NYJ | 16 | 16 | 371 | 1,697 | 4.6 | 25 | 12 | 41 | 245 | 6.0 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
2005 | NYJ | 12 | 12 | 220 | 735 | 3.3 | 49 | 5 | 24 | 118 | 4.9 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
2006 | NYJ | 0 | 0 | did not play due to injury | |||||||||||
Total | 168 | 166 | 3,518 | 14,101 | 4.0 | 70 | 90 | 484 | 3,329 | 6.9 | 41 | 10 | 29 | 16 |
Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
1996 | NE | 3 | 3 | 49 | 267 | 5.4 | 78 | 5 | 8 | 55 | 6.9 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1998 | NYJ | 2 | 2 | 49 | 138 | 2.8 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 97 | 9.7 | 27 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
2001 | NYJ | 1 | 1 | 16 | 106 | 6.6 | 22 | 0 | 6 | 34 | 5.7 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
2002 | NYJ | 2 | 2 | 31 | 141 | 4.5 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 43 | 8.6 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2004 | NYJ | 2 | 2 | 37 | 143 | 3.9 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 76 | 8.5 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2006 | NYJ | 0 | 0 | did not play due to injury | |||||||||||
Total | 10 | 10 | 182 | 795 | 4.4 | 78 | 8 | 37 | 305 | 8.2 | 27 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Award/Honor | Time(s) | Year(s) |
---|---|---|
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year | 1 | 1995 [15] |
PFWA Offensive Rookie of the Year | 1 | 1995 [15] |
Pro Bowl | 5 | 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004 [15] |
All-Pro | 3 | 2001 (First-team); 1996, 1999 (Second-team) [15] |
UPI And Pro Football Weekly All-AFC | 4 | 1995, 2001, 2004 (First-team) 1996 (Second-team) |
Lead the American Football Conference in rushing yards | 2 | 1995, 2004 [40] |
Lead the American Football Conference in touchdowns | 1 | 1996 [40] |
Ed Block Courage Award | 1 | 2001 [41] |
Led the NFL in rushing yards (1,697) | 1 | 2004 [40] |
Oldest player to win the rushing title in NFL history (age 31) | 1 | 2004 [21] |
FedEx Ground Player of the Year | 1 | 2004 [22] |
Bart Starr Man Of The Year | 1 | 2006 [42] |
Fourth leading rusher of all-time (14,101 yards) | — | 2007 [40] [43] |
Second player to have the most seasons with 1,000 yards or more rushing | — | 2007 [40] [43] |
Second player to start with 10 consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons | — | 2007 [40] [43] |
Third Most Career Rushing Attempts (3,518) | — | 2007 [40] [43] |
Tenth all-time in combined net yards (17,421) | — | 2007 [40] [43] |
Third most consecutive regular season starts by position (119) | — | 2007 [43] [44] [45] |
Jerome Abram Bettis Sr. is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nicknamed "the Bus" due to his large size and forceful running style, he played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was selected 10th overall by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1993 NFL draft. Bettis was a member of the Rams for three seasons before being traded to the Steelers, where he spent the remainder of his career. A six-time Pro Bowl and two-time first-team All-Pro selection, he is regarded as one of the greatest power runners of all time and ranks eighth in NFL rushing yards. He retired in 2006 after helping the Steelers win a Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XL, the franchise's first in over two decades. Bettis was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Shaun Edward Alexander is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide, earning first-team All-American honors in 1999. He was selected by Seattle 19th overall in the 2000 NFL draft. In 2011, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson, nicknamed "LT", is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. After a successful college football career with the TCU Horned Frogs, the San Diego Chargers selected him as the fifth overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft. He spent nine years with the Chargers, earning five Pro Bowl appearances, three Associated Press first-team All-Pro nominations, and two NFL rushing titles. Tomlinson was also voted the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2006 after breaking the record for touchdowns in a single season. He played two further seasons with the New York Jets, before retiring. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Kevan Courtney Barlow is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers and was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2001 NFL draft. He played in the NFL for the 49ers, New York Jets, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Keith Alan Byars is an American sports broadcaster and former professional football player. He played as a fullback and tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and New York Jets. He was selected in the first round by the Eagles in the 1986 NFL draft. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Robert John Riggins, nicknamed "Riggo" and "Diesel", is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. He played college football for the Kansas Jayhawks. Riggins was known for his "bell cow" running style and productivity well into the later years of his career. In the 1983 season, at age 34, he rushed for a then-NFL record of 24 touchdowns, a record which stood for almost 20 seasons. Riggins again led the league in rushing touchdowns during the 1984 season at age 35. Although he earned only one Pro Bowl appearance in his career, Riggins had his greatest success in the postseason and was named MVP of Super Bowl XVII where he scored one touchdown and rushed for 166 yards in a 27–17 win for the Redskins over the Miami Dolphins. Riggins was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.
Alan Joseph Faneca is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He played college football for Louisiana State University (LSU), and earned consensus All-America honors. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 1998 NFL draft, and played professionally for the Steelers, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals of the NFL. A six-time first-team All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Faneca won a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers in Super Bowl XL, defeating the Seattle Seahawks. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021 and on May 10, 2021, he was introduced as the head football coach of Frank W. Cox High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Kevin Troy Faulk is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the LSU Tigers, receiving first-team All-American honors, and was selected by the Patriots in the second round of the 1999 NFL draft. Faulk held a variety of offensive and special teams roles during his career and contributed to the franchise's first three Super Bowl titles. For his accomplishments in New England, he was inducted to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2016. After retiring from the NFL, Faulk returned to LSU as a coach from 2018 to 2021. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
Thomas Quinn Jones is an American actor and former professional football player. He played as a running back for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Jones played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers, earning consensus All-American honors in 1999. He was selected by the Arizona Cardinals seventh overall in the 2000 NFL draft, and played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in addition to the New York Jets, Chicago Bears, and Kansas City Chiefs. He retired among the top 25 leading rushers in NFL history, and a member of the 10,000 rushing yards club. In September 2019 he was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020.
Franklin Gore Sr. is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. A member of the San Francisco 49ers during most of his career, he ranks third in NFL career rushing yards. His career was noted for its longevity, rare for his position, and he holds the league record for games played by a running back.
The 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 72nd season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League. It would be the first season the franchise would have under quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He would play 18 seasons as a Steeler, a franchise record.
Christopher Duan Johnson is an American former professional football running back. Born in Orlando, Florida, he emerged as a senior for East Carolina University, breaking out for 2,960 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns. Johnson was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2008 NFL draft, after running a then-record breaking 4.24 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
LeGarrette Montez Blount is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football at the University of Oregon after transferring from East Mississippi Community College. Not selected in the 2010 NFL draft, he began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent.
Dion John Lewis is an American football coach and former running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers, earning second-team All-American honors in 2009. He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft. Lewis is currently the assistant running backs coach for the University of Albany.
Shane Patrick-Henry Vereen is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears and was selected by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft.
James Calvin White is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers and was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. White won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and appeared in 4. He set the Super Bowl records for receptions and points scored in Super Bowl LI and holds the record for the most receptions in a playoff game.
Stevan Todd Ridley is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the LSU Tigers and was selected by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. Ridley was also a member of the New York Jets, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers. With the Patriots, he won Super Bowl XLIX over the Seattle Seahawks.
Le'Veon Andrew Bell Sr. is an American professional boxer and former football running back. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft. He also played for the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Cordarrelle Patterson, nicknamed "Flash", is an American professional football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). A versatile utility player, he plays running back, wide receiver, kickoff returner, and occasionally on defense. Patterson played college football for the Hutchinson Blue Dragons before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers, where he earned first-team All-SEC honors. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, and the Atlanta Falcons.
Sony Michel is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. During his first three seasons with the Patriots, he was a member of the team that won Super Bowl LIII. Michel spent his next season with Los Angeles Rams in 2021, winning Super Bowl LVI, and his final season with the Los Angeles Chargers.