Daily News | Jets defensive end Jacob Martin falls back on his Temple roots in the NFL
As a 14-year-old water boy, Jacob Martin was mesmerized by the football culture that his older brother, Josh, instilled in the Cherokee Trail High School team. Watching from the sidelines, Martin knew then he wanted to be around the game.
Heading into his fifth season in the league, Martin is coming into his own. No more pregame jitters or nerves on the field. He’s starting to carry the same personality he had at Temple, where he made second-team All American Athletic Conference. The Martins have a family motto to do everything to the best of your ability. Martin wanted to follow in Josh’s footsteps because he replicated those qualities. Now a free agent, Josh played eight seasons in the NFL and was a two-time second team All-Ivy League at Columbia.
Later on in Martin’s recruiting process, Josh was playing for the Kansas City Chiefs, who signed him in 2013 as a free agent. Josh passed along Martin’s tape to the Chiefs linebacker coach, at the time, Mark DeLeone. His father, George, was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at the University of Connecticut. DeLeone also had connections at Temple, where he served as a graduate assistant in 2011.
After racking up a number of accolades as an Owl, Martin was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft. He was traded to the Houston Texans in 2019. On his off days, Martin reminds himself of the grit and grind he put in on Diamond Street, like pushing 45-pound plates across the field and running 300-yard sprints in the summertime.