When you're a Jet, you stay a Jet, all the way to the Hall of Fame, where the 31-year-old Martin is headed at 4.6 relentless yards per carry this season.
Ever since he arrived in 1998 as a free agent, Martin has been a fixture in the New York backfield, starting 110 straight games, including playoffs, and eclipsing Freeman McNeil as the franchise's all-time rusher (9,381 yards) and Emerson Boozer as its all-time rushing scorer (53 touchdowns). This year, he's leading the league in rushing yardage (1,511 and 12 TDs on 330 carries), while earning his fifth trip to the Pro Bowl.
"Great year, great career," saluted Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel, whose defensive comrades will have to stifle Martin if they want to stop the Jets' offense. "You can mention him among the greatest backs who've ever played in this game."
The record book already has him among the top five. He moved ahead of Earl Campbell and O.J. Simpson a while ago. This season, Martin (13,180) has rumbled past Franco Harris, Marcus Allen, Jim Brown, and Tony Dorsett. If he gains 80 yards Sunday, he'll leapfrog Eric Dickerson (13,259). Up ahead are only three men -- Barry Sanders (15,269), Walter Payton (16,726), and Emmitt Smith (18,221).
"More so than surprising, it's humbling," said Martin. "I never imagined accomplishing anything like that. To be mentioned in the same breath as Sanders, Payton, and Smith . . ."
Nobody predicted that in 1995, when the Patriots tapped Martin in the third round, 74th overall, after nine other running backs had been plucked. He'd done some nice work as a runner and receiver at the University of Pittsburgh, including a monster 251-yard effort against Texas in his senior opener. But after messing up an ankle in a pileup in the second game, Martin missed the rest of the season, which made him an iffy pick in a draft loaded with big-stat backs.
But the Patriots needed just one game to realize they'd gotten a steal. In his pro debut against the Browns, Martin broke away for 30 yards on his first carry and ended up with more than 100, plus the winning TD with 19 seconds to play. "One-game wonder," coach Bill Parcells cracked later in the locker room, but the Tuna knew otherwise.
