Doug Martin (running back) facts for kids
Martin with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | January 13, 1989 Oakland, California, U.S. |
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| Died: | October 18, 2025 (aged 36) | ||||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | St. Mary's (Stockton, California) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Boise State (2007–2011) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 31 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Douglas Matthew Martin (born January 13, 1989) was a talented American football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. Doug played college football for the Boise State Broncos. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers chose him in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft. He was picked for the Pro Bowl twice and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2015. He also played for the Oakland Raiders. Doug Martin passed away on October 18, 2025, at the age of 36.
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Doug Martin's Early Life and High School
Doug Martin was born in Oakland, California. He grew up in Stockton, where he went to St. Mary's High School. Doug was a star in both football and track.
As a junior, he ran for an amazing 1,950 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. This earned him many awards. In his senior year, he continued to excel, rushing for 1,234 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
In track & field, Doug was also very fast. He ran the 100-meter dash in 11.15 seconds. He also showed great jumping skills in the long jump and triple jump. Even though bigger colleges were interested, Doug decided to play for Boise State.
Doug Martin's College Football Journey
Doug Martin played for Boise State University from 2007 to 2011. During his college career, he ran for 3,431 yards and scored 43 touchdowns.
He played his first college game in 2007. In 2008, he started to get more playing time. By 2009, Doug's role grew significantly. He had several games where he rushed for over 100 yards. He even scored four rushing touchdowns in two different games that season.
In 2010, as a junior, Doug continued to be a key player. He had many strong performances, including games with over 100 rushing yards and multiple touchdowns. He also showed his skills as a receiver. He finished the 2010 season with 1,260 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.
His senior year in 2011 was also outstanding. He was a major force in Boise State's offense. He had a game with 200 rushing yards and three touchdowns against Colorado State. Doug was named the MVP of the 2011 Maaco Bowl Las Vegas. In that game, he returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and rushed for 151 yards. He ended his college career with 1,299 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns in his final season. His teammates at Boise State nicknamed him "Muscle Hamster" because he was strong despite his smaller size.
Becoming a Professional Player
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 9+1⁄4 in (1.76 m) |
223 lb (101 kg) |
30+1⁄2 in (0.77 m) |
9 in (0.23 m) |
4.55 s | 1.64 s | 2.69 s | 4.16 s | 6.79 s | 36 in (0.91 m) |
10 ft 0 in (3.05 m) |
28 reps | |
| All values from NFL Combine | ||||||||||||
Joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked Doug Martin as the 31st overall player in the 2012 NFL draft. He was the second running back chosen that year. In June 2012, he signed a five-year contract with the team. After a great preseason, he was named the starting running back for the Buccaneers.
Amazing Rookie Season (2012)
Doug Martin had an incredible first year in the NFL. In his debut game, he rushed for 95 yards. He scored his first professional touchdown in his second game. On October 25, he had 135 rushing yards and a touchdown, plus 79 receiving yards and another touchdown.
A week later, he had a historic game against the Oakland Raiders. He rushed for 251 yards and scored four touchdowns in just one half! This tied an NFL record. He also became the first player ever to score touchdown runs of 70-plus, 45-plus, and 65-plus yards in a single game. He broke Buccaneers' team records for rushing yards and touchdowns in a game. For this amazing performance, he was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
He finished his rookie season with over 1,450 rushing yards and nearly 500 receiving yards. His total of 1,926 yards from scrimmage was the second-highest in Buccaneers' history. He also set a new team record for rookie rushing yards. Doug was nominated for the 2012 NFL Rookie of the Year and earned a spot in the Pro Bowl. He was also named to the NFL All-Rookie Team.
Dealing with Injuries (2013-2014)
In 2013, Doug Martin rushed for 144 yards in a game against the New Orleans Saints. However, he suffered a shoulder injury later that season. This injury ended his season early. He finished with 456 rushing yards.
He returned from his injury for the 2014 season. He scored his first touchdown of the season in a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the final game of the season, he had a season-high 108 rushing yards. He finished 2014 with 494 rushing yards.
A Strong Comeback (2015)
Before the 2015 season, the Buccaneers decided not to extend his contract right away. This meant he could become a free agent after the season. Doug responded with a fantastic comeback year.
He had several games with over 100 rushing yards and multiple touchdowns. In one game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he ran for 235 yards. He finished the 2015 season with 1,402 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. He also had 271 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. Because of his amazing performance, Doug was selected for his second Pro Bowl and was named a First-team All-Pro.
Challenges and Changes (2016-2017)
In March 2016, Doug Martin signed a new five-year contract with the Buccaneers. However, his performance in the 2016 season was not as strong as the previous year. He finished with 421 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.
In late 2016, Doug Martin faced a suspension from the NFL for violating league rules. He decided to take a break from playing to focus on his well-being and get help. This meant he missed some games and also affected parts of his contract.
In 2017, Doug played in 11 games. He rushed for 406 yards and three touchdowns. On February 20, 2018, the Buccaneers released him after six seasons with the team.
Playing for the Oakland Raiders
2018 Season with the Raiders
On March 15, 2018, Doug Martin signed a one-year contract with the Oakland Raiders. When the team's starting running back, Marshawn Lynch, got injured, Doug stepped up as the starter. He had his best game of the season against the Denver Broncos, rushing for 107 yards and a touchdown. He also had another 100-yard game to end the season. Overall, he finished the 2018 season with 723 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
2019 Season and Retirement
Doug Martin re-signed with the Raiders in May 2019. However, he was placed on injured reserve in August and later released. This marked the end of his professional football career.
Doug Martin's Career Numbers
Sources:
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2012 | TB | 16 | 16 | 319 | 1,454 | 4.6 | 70T | 11 | 49 | 472 | 9.6 | 64T | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | TB | 6 | 6 | 127 | 456 | 3.6 | 28 | 1 | 12 | 66 | 5.5 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2014 | TB | 11 | 11 | 134 | 494 | 3.7 | 63 | 2 | 13 | 64 | 4.9 | 20 | 0 | – | – |
| 2015 | TB | 16 | 16 | 288 | 1,402 | 4.9 | 84 | 6 | 33 | 271 | 8.2 | 25 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| 2016 | TB | 8 | 8 | 144 | 421 | 2.9 | 17 | 3 | 14 | 134 | 9.6 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | TB | 11 | 8 | 138 | 406 | 2.9 | 27 | 3 | 9 | 84 | 9.3 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 | OAK | 16 | 9 | 172 | 723 | 4.2 | 29 | 4 | 18 | 116 | 6.4 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Total | 84 | 74 | 1,322 | 5,356 | 4.1 | 84 | 30 | 148 | 1,207 | 8.2 | 64T | 2 | 12 | 11 | |
Impressive Records
Doug Martin holds some impressive NFL and Buccaneers team records:
- Most rushing touchdowns in a half: 4 (tied with others, achieved on November 4, 2012, against the Oakland Raiders)
He also set several records for the Buccaneers:
- Most rushing yards in a single game: 251 (November 4, 2012, vs Oakland Raiders)
- Most rushing yards in a season by a rookie: 1,454
- Most yards from scrimmage in a season by a rookie: 1,926
- Most rushing touchdowns in a game: 4 (November 4, 2012, vs Oakland Raiders)
- Most rushing touchdowns in a game by a rookie: 4 (November 4, 2012, vs Oakland Raiders)
- Most rushing touchdowns in a season by a rookie: 11 (2012)
- Most rushing yards per game in a career: 74.2
Remembering Doug Martin
Doug Martin passed away on October 18, 2025, at the age of 36. His family shared the sad news the next day. He will be remembered for his exciting plays and strong performances on the football field.
