Doug Martin arrived on the campus of Boise State University nearly two decades ago to play football on its famed blue turf and, despite being a squat, little-known recruit from Northern California, turned himself into a hard-nosed running back and a first-round NFL draft pick.
Nicknamed the “Muscle Hamster” for both his size and running style, he was twice named to the Pro Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during a seven-year NFL career that saw him rewarded with a big contract in 2016. But his bruising ways on the field also caused him to miss extensive playing time with a variety of injuries and contributed to his retirement.