When Curtis Martin was inducted into the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton this past August, not many were surprised because he was such a talent on the field. In 2012 Curtis Martin was joined by Linemen Willie Roaf, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy and Dermontti Dawson and 1950s cornerback Jack Butler. His speech set a new level for Hall of Fame speeches. He said in his speech that football was not his life and that he rarely ever watched a football game. Curtis Martin excelled at consistency because of the fact that he had at least 1000 yards in 10 consecutive seasons. In 1995 Curtis was drafted in the 3rd round by the New England Patriots and he quickly caught on and excelled in his first season; rushing for 1487 yards and 14 touchdowns. One year later they were in the Super Bowl playing the Green Bay Packers. The Patriots lost the Super Bowl but, Curtis Martin still was a force for the Patriots for 1 more season. In 1998 Martin left the Patriots for greener pastures and followed in his mentor and former coach Bill Parcels to New York where he became a staple of the franchise for 8 more years. In 2004 at the age of 31 Martin rushed for a career high 1697 yards and helped the Jets reach a playoff berth, only to lose because of the their kicker. When the five time pro bowler and 1st team all pro retired at the end of the 2005 season he had rushed for an astonishing 14101 yards and 90 touchdowns. At his Hall of Fame induction ceremony Curtis Martin had none other than his former coach Bill Parcels present him. Parcels said that, “he had compassion for his fellow man” and that "He is, I think, the poster child for what the NFL is supposed to be. You come into the league, maximize your abilities, you save your money, you make a smooth transition into society and then you pass all those things on to other people. That's what this guy has done." I can only agree with what Parcels said, because Martin exemplified everything that and NFL player should be.
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