Former NFL Star Doug Martin Dies In Police Custody In Oakland At 36

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders and Boise State running back Doug Martin died in police custody after a struggle with officers, according to the Oakland Police Department. He was 36.

Officers were responding to a break-in during the early hours of Saturday, where Martin was involved, according to a statement released by the police department posted on Monday. Martin became unresponsive after being taken into custody following a “brief struggle” with officers as they were attempting to detain him, the statement said.

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Martin received treatment from paramedics and was transferred to a nearby hospital before passing away on Saturday, the statement wrote.

The former player dealt with mental health challenges that “profoundly impacted his personal and professional life,” according to a statement published on behalf of Martin’s family by Athletes First and CEO Brian Murphy.

The statement also provided additional information about Martin’s death, saying his parents sought medical assistance and contacted local authorities for help.

“Feeling overwhelmed and disoriented, Doug fled his home during the night and entered a neighbor’s residence two doors down, where he was taken into custody by police,” the statement said. “An investigation into what transpired as he was detained is underway.”

Martin smashed several Buccaneers franchise records during his six-season stint in Florida. The running back broke the franchise record for most rushing yards in a season by a rookie (1,454) in addition to most rushing yards in a single game (251) during a 2012 match against the Raiders.

Before the NFL, Martin played at Boise State from 2007 to 2011, where he was nicknamed the “Muscle Hamster.”

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Article by Jake Iovine