NFL: 30 running backs who got better after leaving their first team

31 of 31

Curtis Martin, New York Jets. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /

An injury during Curtis Martin‘s junior season at the University of Pittsburgh had him fall to the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft, where the New England Patriots were waiting to scoop him up.

He took advantage of an opportunity at immediate playing time and ran away with it. Martin finished his rookie season with 1,487 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns and was awarded AFC Rookie of the Year in 1995.

He had another 1,100+ yard season and 14 more scores along with his second Pro Bowl appearance in 1996. That included five touchdowns in that postseason alone and one in the Super Bowl XXXI loss to the Green Bay Packers.

More from All-Time Lists

Martin had one more productive campaign with New England before becoming a free agent. The story of how the New York Jets were able to land him away from the Patriots is a topic for another day. Regardless, New York got one of the best running backs in the league just approaching his prime.

The results were as expected. Martin’s first season with the Jets had him going for 1,287 yards and eight touchdowns. It was the first of a seven-year stretch where Martin ran for at least 1,000 yards, missing just one game during the run.

He saved his best full season for last, going for a league-leading 1,697 rushing yards and 12 scores, becoming the oldest player in NFL history to lead the league in that category in 2005.

Throughout his tenure with the Jets, Martin went for over 10,000 career rushing yards. His time with New England gave him another 3,800 yards to place him currently fifth all-time after Frank Gore recently surpassed him. He also was a season-ending injury away from reaching 1,000+ yards in every single year of his career, showing a level of consistency that’s second to none.

Next. 30 quarterbacks who got better after leaving their first team. dark

He retired after his knee wouldn’t heal up a year later. Martin had both his jersey retired by the Jets franchise and earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012. Who knows what would’ve happened had Martin stayed with the Patriots? But was a rare occasion in recent history, as the Jets got the better of their AFC East rival by landing the all-time great running back as he was about to enter his absolute prime.

Home/All-Time Lists