Doughlas Martin, a former American football star who spent seven seasons in the NFL as a dynamic running has reportedly passed away at the age of 36, as per TMZ on October 19. As a standout at Boise State, he was a first-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2012 NFL draft and later suited up for the Oakland Raiders.

Who Was Doug Martin? career highlights & legacy

Martin was affectionately known to fans as “Muscle Hamster” and “Dougernaut”. After winning the MVP for St. Mary High School with 1,234 yards on 171 carries and 14 touchdowns, Martin finished the 2015 NFL season as the league’s No.2 rusher with 1,354 yards.

He earned Pro Bowl selections in both 2013 and 2016. Over his career, he started all 57 games he played, totaling 1,012 rushes for 4,227 yards and 23 touchdowns, along with 121 receptions for 1,007 yards and two touchdowns.

Doug Martin’s ethnicity, early life & roots

Doug Martin comes from an American family. The Martins have a strong background in Stockton, California. The family’s support enabled Martin to have big runs and records that the fans still recall. His mother, Leslie Baranco Martin, and father, Doug Martin Sr., were with him all the way through to his youthful football career, to high school, and college at Boise State. Leslie Baranco Martin is a sports and entertainment lawyer who is a certified NFL and CFL agent. She graduated from the University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco (then, UC Hastings). There is very little known about Doug Martin Sr. publicly.

It was frequently said in local reports that they were so proud and so closely followed his career.  Leslie constantly talked about the success of her son, and he had a father to rely on him when he advanced in football.

Doug Martin’s net worth & earnings

Doug Martin was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Boise State and had a seven-season career in the NFL, where he earned a salary of more than $22 million. He had signed a four-year rookie contract with Tampa Bay that had guaranteed money that took care of most of his first contract, but he signed a five-year extension worth more than $35 million, although he did not complete the entire term.

The highest amount of his single-year payout and cap was in 2016, when he made over $7.7 million. Leaving Tampa Bay, he became an Oakland Raider and signed a one-year contract in 2018, which he fully earned. Then, another one-year agreement in 2019, which was canceled before the season began, leaving him with minor dead money.

What happened to Doug Martin?

Martin’s death was confirmed by his family, who made a statement to the Tampa Bay Times on Saturday, October 18.

“It is with great sadness to inform you all that Doug Martin passed away Saturday morning. The cause of death is currently unconfirmed. Please respect our privacy at this time,” the statement read, as per Greg Auman, covering the NFL for FOX Sports and part of the Bucs since 2013. The outlet did not report any other details regarding the events surrounding his demise or the exact date.

Doug Martin’s passing has left a deep void in the hearts of those who knew him, both on and off the field. While further details surrounding his death are yet to be revealed, his memory will continue to inspire those who followed his remarkable journey.