In track & field, Martin recorded a personal-best time of 11.15 seconds in the 100-meter dash as a senior.[5] In addition, he also had top-jumps of 6.69 meters (21 ft, 11 in) in the long jump and 13.20 meters (43 ft, 3 in) in the triple jump.[6]
Martin attended Boise State University from 2007 to 2011.[8] He finished his college career with 3,431 yards on 617 carries with 43 touchdowns.[9]
Martin made his collegiate debut on September 27, 2007, against Southern Miss, his lone appearance of the season.[10][11]
In the 2008 season, he had 107 rushing yards and three receptions for 54 yards to go along with 10 kick returns for 223 net yards.[12]
Martin's role expanded in the 2009 season. On September 12, against the Miami RedHawks, he had 28 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.[13] On September 26, against Bowling Green, he had 116 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.[14] On October 14, in a game at Tulsa, he had 112 rushing yards.[15] On November 20, against Utah State, he had 121 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.[16] He followed that up with 128 rushing yards in a victory over Nevada.[17] On December 5, against New Mexico State, he had 83 rushing yards and his second game with four rushing touchdowns in the 2009 season.[18] Overall, in the 2009 season, he finished with 769 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns, eight receptions, and 68 receiving yards.[19]
As a junior in 2010, Martin continued to contribute for the Broncos. On September 18, against Wyoming, he had 105 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and two receptions for 40 yards.[20] He followed that up with 138 rushing yards and 35 receiving yards in a victory over Oregon State.[21] On October 26, against Louisiana Tech, he had 150 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in the victory.[22] On November 12, in a game at Idaho, he had 117 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.[23] On November 26, in a game at Nevada, he had 152 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with three receptions for 78 yards and a receiving touchdown.[24] On December 22, in the 2010 Maaco Bowl against Utah, he had 147 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the victory.[25] Overall, he finished the 2010 season with 1,260 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 28 receptions, 338 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns.[26]
As a senior in 2011, Martin remained the Broncos' catalyst of their rushing attack. In the season opening victory over the Georgia Bulldogs, he had 57 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.[27] In the next game at Toledo, he had 70 rushing yards to go along with five receptions for 122 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown.[28] On October 1, against Nevada, he had 126 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.[29] On October 15, against Colorado State, he had 200 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in the victory.[30] He followed that up with 125 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, and a two-yard receiving touchdown in the game against Air Force.[31] On November 19, against San Diego State, he had 129 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.[32] In the next game, against Wyoming, he had 153 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.[33] He followed that up with 110 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against New Mexico.[34] Martin was the MVP of the 2011 Maaco Bowl Las Vegas after returning the opening kickoff 100-yards for a touchdown and rushing for 151 yards and a touchdown.[35][36] He finished his final collegiate season with 1,299 rushing yards, 16 rushing touchdowns, 28 receptions, 255 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns.[37] Throughout his college career, Martin started 25-of-51 games at Boise State and was a first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection in 2011 and All-Western Athletic Conference in 2010. Martin ranks third in school history with 43 rushing touchdowns and 48 total touchdowns, fifth with 3,431 rushing yards and sixth with 617 rushing attempts.[4][38] He was nicknamed "Muscle Hamster" by his Boise State teammates due to his strength and small size.[39]
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Martin in the first round with the 31st overall pick of the 2012 NFL draft, making him the first player from Boise State University to be drafted by the Buccaneers.[42] He was the second running back to be selected that year.[43] On June 4, 2012, Martin signed a five-year contract, worth $6.787 million with the team. After a successful 2012 preseason with the Buccaneers, where he rushed for 97 yards on 27 carries to go with two rushing touchdowns, Martin was officially named as the team's starting running back entering the 2012 regular season by coach Greg Schiano.[44]
On September 9, Martin had 95 rushing yards and 23 receiving yards in his NFL debut in the 16–10 victory over the Carolina Panthers.[45] In the next game, a 41–34 loss to the New York Giants, he scored his first professional touchdown.[46] On October 25, he rushed for 135 yards and one touchdown and caught three passes for 79 yards and one touchdown in a 36–17 win against the Minnesota Vikings.[47] One week later, he rushed for 251 yards and tied the NFL record for rushing touchdowns in a half with four in a 42–32 road win against the Oakland Raiders.[48] In the game, Martin became the first player in NFL history to score touchdown runs of 70-plus, 45-plus, and 65-plus yards in a game, and is the second player in league history (along with Mike Anderson) to run for 250+ yards and four touchdowns in a game (coincidentally, they both ran for exactly 251 yards and were both in their rookie seasons). Martin broke the franchise records for rushing yardage and touchdowns in a game.[49] He scored 24 total points in the game, which was the most by any player in a single game in the 2012 season.[50] He earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his historic game against the Raiders.[51] On November 18, against the Carolina Panthers, he had 138 rushing yards in the 27–21 victory.[52] On December 9, he had 128 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the 23–21 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.[53] In the regular season finale against the Atlanta Falcons, he had 142 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the 22–17 victory.[54]
At the end of the 2012 NFL regular season, Martin finished with over 1,450 yards rushing and nearly 500 yards receiving.[55] His 1,926 yards from scrimmage in a single season ranks him second in Buccaneers' history behind James Wilder Sr. (2,229 yards from scrimmage). His 1,454 rushing yards broke the Buccaneers' single-season rookie rushing record that was previously held by Cadillac Williams (1,178 rushing yards).[56] On January 4, 2013, Martin was announced as one of five finalists for the 2012 NFL Rookie o the Year.[57] He earned a Pro Bowl nomination for his performance in the 2012 season.[58] He was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team.[59] He was ranked 57th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.[60]
2013 season
In a Week 2 game against the New Orleans Saints, Martin rushed for 144 yards on 29 carries.[61] He suffered a shoulder injury against the Atlanta Falcons on October 20, 2013. He was placed on the season-ending injured reserve on November 8, 2013, because of a torn labrum.[62] He finished the 2013 season with 456 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, 12 receptions, and 66 receiving yards.[63]
2014 season
Martin returned from his injury in time for the season opener against the Carolina Panthers.[64] On September 28, he scored his first touchdown of the season in a 27–24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.[65] In the season finale against the New Orleans Saints, he had a season-high 108 rushing yards.[66] Overall, he finished the 2014 season with 494 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 13 receptions, and 64 receiving yards.[67]
2015 season
Before the season, the Buccaneers declined picking up the fifth-year option of Martin's rookie contract, which would have allowed him to become a free agent after the season.[68] On October 4, against the Carolina Panthers, he had 106 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.[69] One week later, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had 123 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, three receptions, 35 receiving yards, and a receiving touchdown.[70] He followed that up with 136 rushing yards against the Washington Redskins.[71] In Week 11 against the Philadelphia Eagles, he ran for 235 yards on 27 carries, averaging 8.7 yards-per-attempt.[72] He finished the 2015 season with 1,402 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns, 33 receptions, 271 receiving yards, and a receiving touchdown.[73] Following Martin's resurgent season he was selected for the 2016 Pro Bowl, the second of his career, and became the first Buccaneers running back to be named a First-team All-Pro.[74][75] He was ranked 33rd on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.[76]
2016 season
On March 9, 2016, Martin signed a five-year, $35.75 million contract extension, keeping him with the Buccaneers through the 2020 season.[77]
Following his resurgent season in 2015, Martin regressed in the 2016 season. He finished with 421 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 14 receptions, and 134 receiving yards.[78] On December 28, 2016, he was suspended four games for violation of the NFL substance abuse policy. Martin's suspension carried into the 2017 season. He announced that he intended to enter a treatment facility after testing positive for Adderall.[79] As a result, he would not receive $15 million in guaranteed money.[80]
2017 season
In 2017, Martin played in 11 games with six starts, rushing for a career-low 406 yards with three touchdowns on 138 carries.[81]
On February 20, 2018, Martin was released by the Buccaneers after six seasons.[82]
Oakland Raiders
2018 season
On March 15, 2018, Martin signed a one-year contract with the Oakland Raiders.[83][84] After starting running back Marshawn Lynch was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury, Martin would take his place as a starter for the remainder of the season.[85] He had his best performance of the season in Week 16 against the Denver Broncos with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown.[86] In the regular season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, he had another 100-yard performance to close out the season.[87] Overall, in the 2018 season, he finished with 723 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.[88]
2019 season
On May 1, 2019, Martin re-signed with the Raiders, after Isaiah Crowell suffered a season-ending injury.[89] Martin was placed on injured reserve on August 25.[90] He was released from injured reserve with an injury settlement on September 3.[91]
Martin visited youth at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg and sang holiday carols to residents at Westminster Palms retirement home in December 2012.[94]