Curtis Martin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Curtis Martin

Martin at a Times Square pep rally for the Jets in January 2010 prior to the AFC Championship Game
No. 28
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1973-05-01) May 1, 1973 (age 52) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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
New England Patriots (1995–1997) New York Jets (1998–2006)
Career highlights and awards
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1995) First-team All-Pro (2004) 2× Second-team All-Pro (1999, 2001) 5× Pro Bowl (1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004) NFL rushing yards leader (2004) Bart Starr Award (2006) PFWA All-Rookie Team (1995) New England Patriots All-1990s Team New York Jets Ring of Honor New York Jets No. 28 retired
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 14,101 Yards per carry: 4.0 Rushing touchdowns: 90 Receptions: 484 Receiving yards: 3,329 Receiving touchdowns: 10
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Curtis James Martin Jr. (born May 1, 1973) is a former professional football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He played most of his career with the New York Jets. Before that, he played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers.

Martin started his NFL career with the New England Patriots. They picked him in the third round of the 1995 NFL draft. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in his first season. In 1998, Martin joined the Jets. He played there for nine seasons before retiring after the 2006 season. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl five times and was a first-team All-Pro. Martin is currently sixth in total NFL rushing yards. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012. Many people think Martin is one of the best running backs ever.

Early Life and High School Football

Curtis Jr. was born in Pittsburgh on May 1, 1973. Growing up, Curtis often moved around different neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. He was surrounded by difficult situations. For example, his grandmother was murdered. When he was 15, he had a very scary experience where a gun was pointed at his head, but it didn't fire.

He and his mother settled in Point Breeze before his second year of high school. He went to Taylor Allderdice High School, which was known for being a good school. He played basketball in his second year. However, he didn't play any sports in his third year. His mother wanted him to join an activity to keep him safe. So, Curtis started playing football in his final year of high school. He had never really cared much for the sport before.

Curtis was a natural athlete, according to his former coach. He quickly became a star on the football team. He played as a running back and a linebacker. He also played on special teams and sometimes even as a quarterback. In his only season of high school football, he ran for 1,705 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. Martin graduated from Allderdice in 1991. He was later added to their alumni hall of fame in 2011.

His great performance in high school caught the eye of Paul Hackett. He was the football coach for the University of Pittsburgh's football team. Martin had other offers, but he chose to stay close to home and attend Pittsburgh.

College Career

When Martin arrived at the University of Pittsburgh in 1991, he was expected to be a big help to the Panthers. Coach Hackett even compared him to famous player Tony Dorsett. However, injuries caused problems for much of his college career.

In his junior year, he ran for 1,045 yards. He also caught 33 passes for 249 yards in ten games. But he missed the last two games because of a shoulder injury. In 1994, Martin started his senior year with a career-high 251 rushing yards against Texas. The next week, he hurt his ankle against Ohio. This injury kept him out for the rest of the season.

After his senior year, Martin had a choice. He could take a "redshirt" year, which means he could play one more season at Pittsburgh without losing a year of eligibility. Or, he could enter the NFL Draft. He decided to enter the draft. He said it was "the best thing to do." Experts thought that if Martin had stayed another season and avoided injuries, he might have been picked in the first round of the draft. Martin was known for his speed and his powerful running style.

Professional Career

New England Patriots

After the 1994 season, the Patriots lost three running backs. They needed to find new players for their team. The Patriots drafted Martin in the third round of the 1995 NFL draft. Some people were worried about his past injuries. But the Patriots still chose him.

Martin signed a contract with the team on July 19, 1995. He played his first NFL game in the Patriots' win against the Cleveland Browns. Martin ran for 30 yards on his very first play. He finished the game with 102 yards. He was the first Patriots rookie to rush for 100 yards in his first game. Martin kept playing well. He rushed for over 100 yards eight more times that season. He ended the season as the leading rusher in the AFC (American Football Conference) with 1,487 yards and 14 touchdowns. He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and was chosen for the Pro Bowl.

In the next year, Martin rushed for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns. In the playoffs, Martin played a key role in the Patriots' win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He ran for a team-record 166 yards and scored three touchdowns. One of his touchdowns was a 78-yard run, which was one of the longest in playoff history at the time. The Patriots went on to play in Super Bowl XXXI. They lost to the Green Bay Packers. Martin rushed for 42 yards and scored a touchdown in that game. It was at this game that a young Adrian Peterson was inspired by Curtis Martin and decided to wear the number 28 in his honor. Martin was again chosen for the Pro Bowl.

New York Jets

After the 1997 season, Martin became a free agent. This meant he could sign with another team. His agent talked to the New York Jets. The Jets' head coach, Bill Parcells, used to be Martin's coach in New England. This made Martin want to join the Jets. On March 20, 1998, Martin signed a big contract with the Jets. The Patriots did not match the offer. Instead, they received draft picks from the Jets as a trade.

In his first seven seasons with the Jets, Martin hardly missed any games. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl three times. In 1998, Martin had 182 yards 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. He rushed for over 100 yards eight more times that season. He finished with 1,697 yards. Martin won the NFL rushing title that year. He became the oldest player, at age 31, to win the rushing title. Martin was named the FedEx Ground Player of the Year. He was also named an All-Pro and chosen for his fifth and final Pro Bowl.

After Emmitt Smith retired in 2004, Martin became the active leader in career rushing yards. In 2005, Martin hurt his right knee in the Jets' second game. He continued to play through the season, but his performance dropped. He only rushed for 100 or more yards once that season. On November 27, 2005, Martin joined a special group of running backs. He became one of only four players to rush for 14,000 yards in their career. By December, his knee injury got worse. Martin decided to have surgery to fix it. He finished the season with 735 yards.

Martin started 2006 on the Physically Unable to Perform list. His recovery from surgery took longer than expected. By November 2006, Martin was declared out for the entire season. He had a bone-on-bone condition in his right knee. After changing his contract to help the Jets with their team budget, Martin announced his retirement in July 2007. He ended his career with 14,101 total rushing yards. This was the fifth highest total in NFL history at the time.

After Retirement

After he retired, Martin said he was interested in owning an NFL team. He continued to be involved in charity work. He had started the Curtis Martin Job Foundation during his playing career. This foundation helps single mothers, children's charities, people with disabilities, and low-income housing.

Martin was considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011, his first year of eligibility. However, he was not chosen that year. Martin was a top candidate again in 2012, along with his former coach Bill Parcells. He was selected for induction on February 4, 2012. He was officially inducted on August 4, 2012. Martin gave a speech without notes, and many people praised it for being very honest and heartfelt.

The Jets honored Martin by retiring his No. 28 jersey. This happened during a halftime ceremony at the Jets' first game of the season on September 9, 2012.

In November 2013, Martin was asked to join a committee for the Miami Dolphins. This committee was created to help develop a code of conduct for the team.

Personal Life

In 1998, Martin and his mother began to make peace with his father, Curtis Sr. His father had been away from the family. Martin helped his father by renting a new home for him. His father was able to stay sober until he passed away from cancer in June 2009. The family members were able to make peace with each other in the last weeks of his father's life.

Martin married his longtime girlfriend, Carolina Williams, in 2010. On December 15, 2011, they welcomed their first child, a daughter named Ava.

Martin is a Christian. He became a Christian when he was 20 years old. He wore the number 28 because of a Bible verse, Deuteronomy 28.

Awards and Honors

See also

• List of National Football League career rushing yards leaders
• List of National Football League career rushing touchdowns leaders
• List of National Football League career rushing attempts leaders