A No. 9 overall selection out of the University of Washington, Martin helped the Huskies beat Texas 14-7 in the Sun Bowl and earned the Huskies’ Most Valuable Lineman award with 10 tackles and a sack.
In college, Martin formed a close friendship with teammate Warren Moon, who would also go on to play for Minnesota. “I’ll always remember his big chuckle, his laugh, and I will miss him calling me ‘Moony,’” Moon said, describing Martin as a loyal and honest friend.
Martin was a native of Fairfield, California, and his brother George Martin was drafted by the New York Giants in the 11th round of the 1975 NFL Draft.
During his 10-year Vikings career, Martin appeared in 126 regular-season games with 94 starts. He led the NFL with 11.5 sacks in 1982, a strike-shortened season, and added a career-best 13 sacks in 1983, finishing with 61.5 sacks for his career, placing him high on Minnesota’s all-time list.
Teammates and coaches remembered him as a steady and capable presence. Former Vikings linebacker Scott Studwell called Martin a “solid, tough, really talented guy,” while defensive coordinator Floyd Peters described him as a quiet, hard-working leader. Our thoughts are with Doug Martin’s family during this difficult time.
