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First Down

When David Martin was a sopho-

more in high school, he did not
want to play football. Basketball

was Martin’s irst love, and he’d

been playing for his Virginia high
school ever since his military family

had returned to the United States
from a tour in Germany. “I loved

watching it, loved the sport itself,”
Martin never thought growing
he says, “but I never really wanted up that he would play profes-
to play football.”
sional football, but after the
2001 draft, he spent seven years
So, in 1994, when Martin’s new
high school basketball coach told the of his 11-year nfL career playing
for the green Bay Packers.
Photo courtesy of Jim Biever / Green Bay Packers
team they needed to play another

sport during the basketball of-sea-
son—“And not just sit around,” says

Martin—he chose to run cross-coun- magazine named him the number stands, and it was so real. Tennes-
try. “I ran my sophomore year,” he nine prospect in his state during his see deinitely had the heads up on

says, “and then pretty much decided
senior year, either. He was also an everybody, and no one could top it,”
I’d better play football instead.” he all-district and all-Tidewater Area says Martin of his decision. When he

next year, his junior year, Martin
player, and he was named the con- heard that Manning was returning

joined the Norfolk High School ference ofensive player of the year.
to the university and the team for his
Pilots football team. “I igured I’d senior year, he didn’t need any more
Coming Home
sit on the bench until basketball
incentive to sign with the University
season started,” he says. “hat to Rocky Top of Tennessee.

was my goal.”
Before his senior year of high Being on his own for the irst time

Instead, the football coach
school, in 1996, Martin attended
in college, away from home, was
put him on the ield as a wide a football camp hosted by Notre hard for Martin. “I had to ind my

receiver. In his irst pre-season Dame; immediately after he orally way, so I did,” he says. “Playing ball
game, Martin caught 8 passes for committed to the Fighting Irish. “I here was great; I loved it. I deinitely

150 yards and 2 touchdowns. hat
was a Notre Dame fan growing up grew a lot.”
same year, his irst year playing and always wanted to play for [the Martin proudly tells of playing

football, he started receiving
head football coach] Lou Holtz,” he with Manning during his freshman

recruiting letters from some of says. During that year, however, year. “He was a great guy. I walked to
the nation’s best college teams:
Holtz left with little explanation, class with him a couple of times—it

Notre Dame, Florida State, and and Martin reconsidered his choice. was weird,” he says. “People were
the University of Tennessee, among
“hat hurt me, because I gave honking horns and so on, and I

others. At irst, he thought the let- someone my word,” he says. “hat knew it wasn’t for me.” Later, before

ters were just a prank his coach was
was a hard phone call to make.” he the draft Manning chose Martin
playing on him—but they were new coach understood, however, to throw with him in front of the

real. “From then on, people said, and Martin went on to visit other coaches. “I was just a freshman, so
‘I guess you’ve got a career in this,’
schools, including the University of I was a little nervous. But I guess I

so I kept at it,” says Martin. Tennessee at Knoxville.
wasn’t as nervous as he was, because

he deciding factor for him,
“I came to an actual game when Pey- he was the one getting drafted!”
jokes Martin, was when his football ton Manning was still here, and UT recalls Martin.

coach told him that NFL rosters
was playing Alabama. I hadn’t seen Looking back, Martin realizes how
were much bigger than NBA teams, Tennessee much, so I didn’t know awed he was by the experience of

so he had a lot better shot at landing how big the Tennessee-Alabama playing for Tennessee. In the huddle
a spot. It didn’t hurt that Super Prep
game actually was. I was in the
before his irst game in Neyland

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER cityviewmag.com 89