| Dwayne Smith. 20th October, 2006 - 11:10 pm
 Hempstead, NY – When word came out that New York Giants running back Tiki Barber is seriously considering retirement at age 31 most were caught off-guard. Not since Detroit Lions Hall of Fame RB Barry Sanders retired after the 1998 sesason, has a player walked away from the game in a position where he was still an elite player. Barber had the best season of his career in 2005 with 2390 total yards from scrimmage.
With that on the mind of the New York media, New York Jets RB Curtis Martin, who was eligible to return to practice this week if allowed by Head Coach Eric Mangini, was questioned about his own future. The fact that Martin had his first sub-1000 yard season in an injury plagued 2005 and is still trying to compete, serves as a stark contrast to Barber, a fact that he discussed with the New York media on Thursday.
Before the 2006 season even started, Mangini placed Martin on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, ensuring that he would not play a game or practice until Week 7. With Martin away from the team in this regard, he has been able to fully concentrate on rehabilitating his knee. Which he feels has gone well, “I feel as though I’ve gotten better, I’m running a little better. The one thing I was concerned about was making the cuts; once you get out there, instincts take over and I haven’t been put in that situation, so I don’t know how that will turn out.”
With the struggle he is going through on top of the fact that his knee has been reported to be “bone on bone” Martin still has no intention of giving up on the game or team that he has been an outstanding ambassador for. “This is my team, this is my job, this is what I like doing. It’s more so than just playing football, this has become a lifestyle, a mentality of how I approach every day.”
When Barber’s decision to consider stepping aside is brought up, Martin is very complimentary, “Tiki is a smart guy, so whatever he’s doing, I’m sure it’s worthwhile and I’m sure it makes sense… if that’s what he wants to do… it’s his career.” Although Martin may have seen the questions as a veiled effort to contrast his own apparent defiance of father time, he continued. “As far as he [Barber] goes, it makes sense. He’s had a great career, he’s done a lot in the NFL and for the NFL and the NFL has been good to him. I think every NFL player’s dream is to go out on your own terms, but sometimes it doesn’t happen like that.”
Further indication of the difference between the two New York stars, is Martin’s preliminary goal of being a star practice squad player.
“I believe that you can help a team in more than one way… we have different awards such as the Scout Player of the Week Award. If I can get the opportunity to go out there on the football field, I would like to win the Scout Player of the Week award to start off with. If I can get that, then I believe I’ve progressed to another level and that’s how I’m thinking right now. My number one goal is getting the Scout Player of the Week.” Very rarely does any RB that has won the rushing title have such pedestrian aspirations. In fairness to Martin, this is part an athlete who does not want to leave the best part of his life and part an honest selfless desire to help the team that he is on.
Unable to physically compete in a practice, Martin has become a mentor to the running back committee. “There is more that someone can contribute to the team than just being out on the field. For me, I believe it’s my influence. There are a lot of guys that I talk to, Leon Washington, Cedric Houston and Kevan Barlow, all those guys.”
Martin’s desire to help the Jets out in any way possible is laudable, but it is increasingly clear that any contribution on the field is becoming less likely. Mangini has not said when he will allow the future Hall of Fame running back to practice and is vague about the likelihood of his return. In fact, Martin will have to wait another two weeks before returning since he will remain on the PUP list for another two weeks.
In the end, if Curtis Martin is able to run a single play for the Jets, it will be just another thing that this third round draft pick out of the University of Pittsburgh has done which he wasn’t supposed to. |
