Rod Martin
Encyclopedia
Rod Martin is a retired National Football League
linebacker
who played for the Los Angeles
and Oakland Raiders
from 1977 to 1988.
where he was a 1976 All-Pac 10
graduate. Prior to USC, Martin played at Los Angeles City College
.
attended.
, Martin recorded a Super Bowl record 3 interceptions from Philadelphia Eagles
quarterback Ron Jaworski
, and returned them for 44 yards. His 3 interceptions were not only a Super Bowl record, but they also tied linebacker Chuck Howley
's record for career Super Bowl interceptions (later defensive back Larry Brown
tied this record as well). Among these players, Martin is the only one to record all 3 of his interceptions in one game. In Super Bowl XVIII
, Martin broke up a third down pass on his own 7-yard line in the second quarter, tackled Washington Redskins
hall of fame running back John Riggins
for no gain on a fourth down and one conversion attempt deep in Raiders territory on the last play of the third quarter, and recovered a fumble in the final period.。
In his 12 NFL seasons, Martin recorded 14 interceptions, which he returned for 225 yards and 4 touchdowns, along with 10 fumble recoveries, which he returned for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also recorded 33 and a half official sacks (sacks were not an official statistic until 1982, Martin's 5th season). Martin made the Pro Bowl
twice during his career, in 1983 and 1984.
.
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
who played for the Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1977 to 1988.
College career
Before his NFL career, Martin played college football at the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
where he was a 1976 All-Pac 10
Pacific Ten Conference
The Pacific-12 Conference is a college athletic conference that operates in the Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I; its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of NCAA Division I football competition...
graduate. Prior to USC, Martin played at Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College, known as LACC, is a public community college in the East Hollywood section of Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard...
.
High school career
Martin went to Hamilton High School, the same high school NFL Hall of Famer Warren MoonWarren Moon
Harold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
attended.
Professional career
Martin was one of the top linebackers in the NFL during his 12 seasons, assisting the Raiders to 2 Super Bowl victories (1980, 1983) and having an outstanding performance in each one. In Super Bowl XVSuper Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV was an American football game played on January 25, 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1980 regular season...
, Martin recorded a Super Bowl record 3 interceptions from Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback Ron Jaworski
Ron Jaworski
Ronald Vincent "Ron" Jaworski is a former American football quarterback and currently an NFL analyst on ESPN. He is also CEO of Ron Jaworski Golf Management, Inc., based out of Blackwood, New Jersey, and manages golf courses in southern New Jersey, northeast Pennsylvania, and West Virginia...
, and returned them for 44 yards. His 3 interceptions were not only a Super Bowl record, but they also tied linebacker Chuck Howley
Chuck Howley
Charles Louis "Chuck" Howley is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League...
's record for career Super Bowl interceptions (later defensive back Larry Brown
Larry Brown (cornerback)
Larry Brown, Jr. is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and the Oakland Raiders. He is mostly known for being named the MVP of Super Bowl XXX. Brown was a starting cornerback on all three Dallas Cowboys championship teams of the nineties...
tied this record as well). Among these players, Martin is the only one to record all 3 of his interceptions in one game. In Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, deciding the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football Conference...
, Martin broke up a third down pass on his own 7-yard line in the second quarter, tackled Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
hall of fame running back John Riggins
John Riggins
Robert John Riggins, nicknamed "The Diesel", is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. Riggins was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992....
for no gain on a fourth down and one conversion attempt deep in Raiders territory on the last play of the third quarter, and recovered a fumble in the final period.。
In his 12 NFL seasons, Martin recorded 14 interceptions, which he returned for 225 yards and 4 touchdowns, along with 10 fumble recoveries, which he returned for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also recorded 33 and a half official sacks (sacks were not an official statistic until 1982, Martin's 5th season). Martin made the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
twice during his career, in 1983 and 1984.
Personal
Martin has returned to work at USC, where he is a programmer and manager of technical and user support services in the Information Sciences InstituteInformation Sciences Institute
The Information Sciences Institute is a research and development unit of the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering which focuses on computer and communications technology and information processing...
.
External links
- Rod Martin Profile at USC Legends
- Gallery/Checklist of football cards