Career Likely Over for NFL Great Curtis Martin

Curtis Martin has eluded competition for 12 seasons in the National Football League. But it now appears that he won't be able to elude his final tackler, age. At 33, Martin's career appears to be over, as the Newark Star-Ledger is reporting that the team officials and players are now suggesting that he will not return for the remainder of the season or his career due to injury. Martin began experiencing discomfort in his knee last season and it was later discovered that he had bone-to-bone contact in the knee in question. As a result, season ending surgery was performed last December.

The gruel of a tough career has finally caught up to the veteran and with the potential off the field outweighing the capability on it, Martin is likely calling it quits. But Martin doesn't leave the game without making his mark. Although he is a sure first ballot hall of fame player, Martin is perhaps the most underrated running back to ever play the game. Year in and year out, Curtis Martin has been the standard of consistency in a game that is known for allowing few to achieve such glorious monotony. Martin never played fewer than 12 games prior to this season and racked up 14,101 yards rushing in his career, which is good enough for fourth all-time. Martin piled up 10 consecutive seasons of more than 1,000 yards rushing, which ties him for second all time with Walter Payton and Barry Sanders, only trailing Emmitt Smith's 11.

Curtis Martin was a grind-it-out runner, averaging 4.0 yards per carry for his career. In 12 seasons, Martin was a fixture in the backfield of the New England Patriots and the New York Jets. Martin's workhorse-like play is seen in the record books where he holds third place all-time in rushing attempts with 3,518, behind only second place Walter Payton and leader Emmitt Smith. Perhaps, it's this wonderful lack of flashy stats that causes us to under appreciate him. Or maybe it's his lack of flamboyant ego. Most likely it's both. Curtis Martin should be lauded for being a stand-up gentleman of the game and simply doing his job. So as Martin packs his workman lunch pale and heads off into the sunset, we should all collectively note that the game is losing one of the all-time greats. So long Curtis, you'll be missed