A fan-favorite former New York Jets quarterback could be cracking an NFL lineup for the very first time this weekend.
The San Francisco 49ers have ruled out starting quarterback Brock Purdy (toe), and his backup QB, Mac Jones, is “questionable” with injuries to his knee and oblique, per NFL Insider Ari Meirov.
“Adrian Martinez is the only healthy quarterback for San Francisco,” Meirov noted on social media.
A Golden Opportunity for Martinez
If Jones were unable to go, Martinez would likely make the first start of his NFL career.
Martinez, 25, entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023. During his rookie season, he was with the Detroit Lions for the entirety of the offseason from May through final roster cuts in late August.
Martinez didn’t make the team.
Instead, he took his talents to the UFL, the United Football League, and Martinez blew up. In his first season in the league, Martinez was named an all-star (2024 All-UFL), the UFL league MVP, and was named the UFL championship MVP after winning the whole thing.
“Martinez led the league in rushing with 528 yards through the regular season. He was No. 3 in passing with 1,749 yards and tied for second in passing touchdowns with 15. He was also No. 2 in the UFL in total offense with 2,277 yards. Martinez was responsible for 18 touchdowns (15 passing, 3 rushing), which tied for [the] most in the UFL,” the league announced in a press release in 2024.
That raised his profile and caught the attention of the Jets. After the UFL season was over, the Jets inked him to a contract to join their 90-man roster. He was with the team for a year and a half on the team’s training camp roster and their practice squad.
The talented passer didn’t make the Jets’ 53-man roster this year and decided on a fresh start in San Francisco in September.
Martinez Clearly Made the Right NFL Decision
He had a chance to return to the Jets on the practice squad this fall. Instead, he is now in line to start his first NFL game in San Francisco. That wouldn’t have happened in New York.
Martinez won’t be the 49ers’ long-term franchise quarterback. Purdy signed a five-year $265 million contract this offseason. However, that doesn’t mean the former Nebraska product can’t use this opportunity to launch himself into another stratosphere.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has an impressive track record as a quarterback whisperer and developer. When quarterbacks have been in his presence, they have either turned their careers around or launched them.
Purdy, Sam Darnold, Mac Jones, Jimmy Garoppolo, Matt Schaub, Robert Griffin III, and Matt Ryan, to name a few.
If Martinez gets the start and shows the league that he is more than just a backup quarterback, this could intrigue one of the other 31 teams in the NFL. While his future with the 49ers might be limited, that doesn’t mean his NFL career has to be.
Everyone in the league is always searching for the next big thing at quarterback. In college, Martinez proved he was the man. At the UFL level, he proved he was the head honcho. The last proving ground is the big leagues of the NFL.
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