Countdown to training camp: 28 [Curtis Martin] Days

Feature Image: Yahoo! Sports

The time from now until training camp can be filled with a mix of vacations and training regiments for players and personnel, but for hardcore NFL fans it’s more of a time filled with vodka and despair.

We’ll be counting down to the June 23rd, report-to-Cortland date, by featuring current players with roster numbers that correspond with the number of days left. For days without a corresponding player, like today, we’ll be featuring other players and maybe some surprises.

28 Days = #28 Curtis Martin

How can we talk about the the number 28, without talking about the best New York Jet to ever sport it on their jersey?

Martin is a man that we’ve discussed heavily in the past, for good reason, and one who will forever be discussed about. So today, we’ll be piecing together some of our previous content on the HOFer, and some other mentions from around the World Wide Web.

How did he come about to choosing #28?

Martin recently opened up to Pro Football Talk about his decision to choose his jersey number.

“They only had the number 39, which I thought was horrible, and then I finally got a chance to get number 26 and shortly after that when I took number 26 a guy got cut and his number was 28 and I was speaking to someone about what numbers, what options I had,” Martin said. “And at the time I was speaking to a pastor and I told him what numbers were available between 26 and 28, and he said 28.

“He said because that is a really important Bible verse,” Martin explained. “It’s Deuteronomy 28, and he said that it talks about the blessings for obedience and all that. So I took the number and Deuteronomy 28 became my only ritual before every game. I would read it and that’s the reason why I wore number 28.”

What was his best season?

Martin’s career-highs in rushing yardage and attempts came in 2004, accumulating 1697 yards on 371 carries. Mind you, this was his second-to-last playing season at an ‘old’ age of 31. Martin played-in and started all 16 games of the regular season — helping the Jets earn a 10-6 record — while reaching the Divisional Round in the playoffs.

In Andrew’s 2004 season review piece, he notes that Martin earned the NFL’s rushing title by just a single yard, over Seattle’s Shawn Alexander. However, Martin’s accomplishments in 2004 may be overshadowed by the season’s “heartbreaking finish and the many questionable decisions made by Head Coach Herman Edwards and Offensive Coordinator Paul Hackett.”

What’s Martin been up to?

From Pop’s Corner (my father’s column on the site):

Since leaving the playing field, Curtis has continued to raise money through his foundation and has hopes to become an owner of a team in the future. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Jets have retired his number 28.

His thoughts on today’s squad (via ESPN New York)…

“I’ve always been a fan of open competition. I think it’s healthy for a team,” the Hall of Fame running back said Monday at the Big Daddy Celebrity Golf Classic at the Oheka Castle in Huntington, N.Y. “Quarterback is a very important position on the field. One thing that doesn’t go over well with the entire team is, if there’s one person that deserves it more than another and it’s because of favoritism (that) someone (else) gets the position, that doesn’t go over well.”

“I think Geno has a world of talent, but at quarterback it’s really hard to make all that talent come together and express itself properly out on the field. It’s about leadership. The quarterback has to be that guy.”