Former linebacker Blake Martinez, who had stints with the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, and Las Vegas Raiders, recently ended his retirement. After initially signing a practice-squad deal with the Carolina Panthers two weeks ago, Martinez has now been signed to the active roster of the Pittsburgh Steelers. This move was reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Martinez began his NFL career when the Packers drafted him from Stanford in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. His time in Green Bay was marked by four productive seasons, during which he achieved 144 or more combined tackles in three consecutive years, leading the league in tackles in 2017. In that standout season, he also contributed an interception, eight passes defensed, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and a sack.
Moving on as a free agent to the New York Giants in 2020, Martinez continued his impressive performance, extending his streak of seasons with at least 144 tackles to four. Unfortunately, he faced a setback when he suffered a torn ACL early in the 2021 season, leading to his release by the Giants during the subsequent preseason. Martinez returned to the field, joining the Las Vegas Raiders midway through the 2022 season, but surprisingly announced his retirement after only a month with the team.
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