Curtis Martin Officially Announces Retirement http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2947121 Jets running back Martin to announce retirement this week ESPN.com news services Updated: July 24, 2007, 10:08 AM ET Comment Email Print Jets running back Curtis Martin, the fourth leading rusher in NFL history who hasn't played since the 2005 season, will make it official this week and announce his retirement from the NFL. The news that his retirement is imminent was first reported by The New York Post. The Jets open training camp Friday and are expected to hold a news conference before camp begins to announce the running back's retirement. Last month, Martin re-worked his contract for a second straight year to provide the team more salary cap room. Martin tore cartilage in his right knee in Week 2 of the 2005 season against Miami, and aggravated it two games later against Baltimore. He played through the pain, but ended his season after the Jets' 12th game. The five-time Pro Bowler said the knee became a "bone-on-bone" situation when the damaged cartilage was surgically removed in December 2005. He was slow to recover and was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list before training camp so he could rehabilitate the knee and did not play last season. Martin spent his first three seasons with New England, and came to the Jets as a restricted free agent in 1998. His best year was his last healthy season in 2004, when he led the league in rushing with 1,697 yards and tied Barry Sanders' record of 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons to start a career. Martin, 34, has carried 3,518 times for 14,101 yards and 70 touchdowns in 168 games. Only Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton and Sanders have compiled more rushing yards. After using three different starters at tailback in 2006, and finishing 20th in the league in rushing offense, the Jets acquired Thomas Jones in a trade with the Chicago Bears this spring, and he is the projected starter. :martin:
Thanks for the Memories Curtis!! You were a true warrior. They way you played in 2002 with those ankles will forever be remembered :martin:
I love how his last healthy season was his best AND he was the leading rusher that season. Curtis is awesome.
my favorite player of all time. forever and always. ill be smiling ear to ear when i watch him give his acceptance speech (hopefully as a first ballot) but lets not ruin this thread with that debate.
Curtis "My Favorite" Martin will ultimately be defined as a great person who worked their hardest, lead with integrity, exhibited the utmost character, all while becoming one of the game's greatest running backs. When all the talk on this message board was going on about who's number will be the next to be retired for the JETS, my vote goes to #28. A true warrior in every aspect of the game.
I'm hoping they schedule his formal announcement sometime soon; would be cool if it was on a Saturday in the city. I think I would try and tailgate somewhere before going...
I'm glad he finally decided the comeback attempt isn't worth it.... He has done more for this team than anybody since the SBIII...... Can't wait until he's enshrined into Canton
Yeah, I saw that before. Nice article by Cannizzaro. He always shoots straight when it comes to the JETS. Curtis in Canton is a definite road trip possibility.
Are you going to have his babies? When he finally announces we should all put up a curtis avatar for 28 days as a tribute to an all-time great Jet player.
Cannizaro has an agenda just like everyone else that covers the Jets. He killed Mangini last year and was definitely pro-Herm. Cannizzaro hated Mangini because, unlike Sermon Herman, who fed Cannizzaro quote after quote for his articles, Manigini actually makes Cannizzaro work for his stories. And don't even get me started on Cimini.
You know, I admire the guy as much as anyone, but this has to be something like the seventh thread announcing his retirement where everybody jumps in and says how much they love Curtis.
It sure beats complaining that he's under a federal dogfighting indictment. Martin never bothered with self-promotion, worked hard and led by example. I don't think you can say enough about how he conducted himself on and off the field. He deserves all the good things people write about him.
Listen, I'm not saying that he's made his mistakes when reporting on the JETS. But I will say that he was supportive, including last year regardless of what he said about Herm, when the JETS were showing signs of life and promise in the beginning of the year. I don't read the Post everyday or anything, but from what I've seen in comparison to other outlets that didn't give the JETS a chance, he was pretty fair. And if I am still completely wrong on this with Cannizzaro, to you avid Post readers out there, then I admit that him "shooting straight when it comes to the JETS" was a stupid comment.
