Former Boise State, ex-NFL player Doug Martin died after police struggle
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Doug Martin, a former Boise State and NFL running back, died after police detained him.
- Oakland police reported a brief struggle before medics took Martin to a hospital.
- Several agencies, including the DA’s office, launched probes into Martin's death.
Former Boise State football player Doug Martin died over the weekend while in police custody in Oakland after an alleged break-in, the law enforcement agency confirmed Monday.
Martin, 36, of Stockton, California, a Boise State standout at running back and seven-year NFL player, died Saturday at a hospital in Oakland following what police labeled a “medical emergency” early that morning. Officers responded to a report of a burglary at an East Oakland residence, found Martin inside the home and detained him after a “brief struggle,” according to an Oakland police news release.
Martin became unresponsive after officers took him into custody, police said. Arriving paramedics provided aid before taking him by ambulance to a local hospital, where he died, according to police.
On Monday night, the Athletes First agency, which represented Martin when he was drafted by Tampa Bay in 2012, and its CEO, Brian Murphy, issued a statement saying that Martin “battled mental health challenges” and that his family wanted to “clarify circumstances.”
“Doug’s parents were actively seeking medical assistance for him and had contacted local authorities for support,” the statement said.
It said that Martin was “feeling overwhelmed and disoriented” when he left home and entered a neighbor’s house, which was where police responded and apprehended him.
Police did not immediately name Martin as the break-in suspect. His name was initially withheld on “police hold” orders from the Oakland department, a spokesperson for the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the county coroner’s office, told the Idaho Statesman. The East Bay Times was first to report Martin died in police custody.
On Monday, Oakland police confirmed that Martin was the man they contacted at the residence where the break-in was reported to 911 dispatch Saturday just after 4:15 a.m.
“Since Saturday, OPD has been in contact with Martin’s family,” police posted on Facebook. “The family has requested privacy as they grieve this tragic loss.”
The officers involved in Martin’s “in-custody death” were placed on paid administrative leave, per standard department policy, Saturday’s news release said.
Several agencies, including internal affairs and the homicide division of the Oakland Police Department, are investigating Martin’s death, which is also standard practice. The others include the district attorney’s office in Alameda County, in addition to civilian-led Community Police Review Agency and Oakland Police Commission, the release said.
The Community Police Review Agency confirmed in an email to the Statesman that it was notified of the case, but had “no additional information as the city begins its investigation process.” Separately, the DA’s office said by email that it conducts parallel, independent reviews of all in-custody deaths in the county.
Martin’s family issued a statement on Sunday announcing his death the day before and listed the cause of death as “unconfirmed.”
Martin played at Boise State from 2007 to 2011. He redshirted as a freshman and surpassed 1,200 rushing yards in each of his junior and senior seasons, earning all-conference first-team honors both years. During Martin’s active college seasons, the Broncos recorded a 50-3 overall record, and he helped power the team to three bowl game wins, including the 2010 Fiesta Bowl.
Nate Potter was a Boise State offensive lineman from 2007 to 2011 and is now the team’s offensive coordinator. He remembered his former teammate for his contagious energy, frequent smile and the power with which he finished runs into the mouth of the defense. Martin was destined for the NFL, he said.
“There was no secret or no shock that he became the player he became,” Potter said at a news conference Monday. “You could see it every day, you saw when he came in these doors as a freshman. He meant everything to those teams.”
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Martin No. 31 overall in 2012, making him one of just six former Broncos ever taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. He played six seasons for the Bucs and was twice named to the Pro Bowl. He played a final professional season in 2018 — his seventh — for the Raiders, then based in Oakland.
“Rest in peace to a Bronco legend,” Boise State football wrote in a post on X on Sunday. “You will be missed.”
Boise State athletics reporter Shaun Goodwin contributed.
This story was originally published October 20, 2025 at 3:07 PM.
