Mike Martin (wide receiver)
{{Short description|American football player (born 1960)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Mike Martin
| number = 88
| position = Wide receiver
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|11|18}}
| birth_place = Washington D.C., U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 186
| high_school = Eastern {{avoid wrap|(Washington D.C.)}}
| college = Illinois
| draftyear = 1983
| draftround = 8
| draftpick = 221
| pastteams =
- Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|1983|1989}})
| highlights =
- Third-team All-American (1982)
- First-team All-Big Ten (1982)
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 67
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 1,017
| statlabel3 = Touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 6
| statlabel4 = Return yards
| statvalue4 = 3,024
| pfr = MartMi00
}}
Mike Martin (born November 18, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Early life
Martin grew up in Washington, D.C.,{{Cite web |last=Intern |first=BAPA |date=2022-02-01 |title=NFL's Mike Martin Launches Football Program for Kids |url=https://bapa.org/nfls-mike-martin-launches-football-program-for-kids/ |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=Beverly Area Planning Association |language=en-US}} and attended Eastern High School.{{Cite news |last=Kaplow |first=Bob |date=1988-07-14 |title=STARS WILL BE OUT AT EASTERN |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1988/07/14/stars-will-be-out-at-eastern/6c988288-75b2-411b-af1d-e7709623a521/ |access-date=2023-04-26 |issn=0190-8286}}
College career
Martin played football at the University of Illinois, where during his senior year he caught a record 77 receptions for 1,068 yards.{{Cite web |title=Illini, Football and Family Provides Legacy for Martins |url=https://fightingillini.com/news/2022/2/17/illini-football-and-family-provides-legacy-for-martins.aspx |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=University of Illinois Athletics |date=17 February 2022 |language=en}} In four years for the Fighting Illini, he caught 143 passes for 2,300 yards (a 16.1 average) with 15 touchdowns. He also returned punts and kicoffs.{{cite web | url=https://fightingillini.com/documents/2022/8/9/2-Record_Book-2022.pdf | title=2022 Football Record Book - Records }}
As of the beginning of the Fighting Illini's 2022 season, Martin ranks fourth all-time in single-season receptions (77), ninth in career receptions (143), fifth in career receiving yardage (2,300), and tied for fourth in single-game receptions with 12 against Ohio State in 1982.
NFL
Martin was chosen by the Bengals in the eighth round of the 1983 NFL draft. In his seven seasons, he caught 67 passes for 1,017 yards (a 15.1 average) with 6 receiving touchdowns, with his most productive receiving year 1987 with 20 receptions for 394 yards.{{Cite web |title=Mike Martin Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MartMi00.htm |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He returned 140 punts for 1,381 yards (a 9.9 average), including a league-leading 15.7 yards per return in 1983. He also returned 75 kicks for 1,643 yards, a 21.9 average.
He was a member of the Bengals' team which went to the 1989 Super Bowl, won by the San Francisco 49ers, 20–16. Martin did not play, as his season ended with an injury in the season's 6th game.{{Cite web |last=Bass |first=Mike |title=Column: At 60, former Bengal player, Taft coach Mike Martin savors Cincinnati memories |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2020/12/17/mike-martin-catching-up-former-bengal-taft-high-school-coach/3942956001/ |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=The Enquirer |language=en-US}}
Coaching
After his playing career ended, Martin operated several night clubs in the Cincinnati area. In 2002, Martin was named coach of Taft High School in Cincinnati, tapped to revive a program which had been disbanded due to lack of student participation.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2002-08-26 |title=Former Bengal trying to resurrect Taft team |url=https://www.irontontribune.com/2002/08/26/former-bengal-trying-to-resurrect-taft-team/ |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=The Tribune |language=en}} He coached the Senators for eight years, compiling a record of 44–28.{{Cite web |title=Coach History - Taft Senators Football (Cincinnati, OH) |url=https://www.maxpreps.com/oh/cincinnati/taft-senators/football/staff/all-time/ |access-date=2023-04-26 |website=www.maxpreps.com}}
Personal life
Martin met his wife, Michelle, at Illinois where she was cheerleader. They married in 1986. They currently live in Chicago, where his family including daughter Morgan owns several smoothie bars and a fitness facility.
Martin is vice president of the Marcus Martin Foundation, named for his late son, who died at from a pulmonary embolism at age 25 in 2014. The foundation provides financial support for college-bound high school students, conducts free youth football camps, and educates about the dangers of pulmonary embolism.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Bengals1983DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Mike}}
Category:American football return specialists
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Cincinnati Bengals players
Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football players
Category:High school football coaches in Ohio
Category:Eastern High School (Washington, D.C.) alumni