No matter what stage of life Jacob Martin has been in or the place he's lived, there has been a particular constant source of joy in his life. Its presence is typically marked by four legs and fur, but he doesn't discriminate -- those with scaly skin and multiple eyes have also nuzzled their way into his heart.

"I think before I even wanted to play football, I wanted to be an animal physiologist," the Commanders defensive end said. "It goes back to my earliest childhood memories. I've always had a passion for animals. I'm covered in tattoos of animals, spiders and insects."

Martin has long put action behind this passion. Experiences like volunteering at the Denver Dumb Friends League in junior high and Smoky Hill Veterinary Clinic in high school "opened his eyes" to inhumane treatment of

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