Former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Doug Martin died Monday, the team announced. He was 68.
The Vikings spoke to a few of Martin’s teammates, including quarterback Warren Moon, who called Martin a “loyal and honest friend,” per the team’s website.
“I’ll always remember his big chuckle, his laugh, and I will miss him calling me ‘Moony,’ Moon said. “He was a loyal and honest friend.”
Linebacker Scott Studwell — a member of the Vikings Ring of Honor and another of Martin’s teamamtes — said Martin was “a great player and a better man.”
“Tough to hear about Doug — he’s a great guy,” Studwell said. “He was a huge part of any success we had, and you could count on him. He was a great player and a better man. We will miss him.”
Martin, who was selected by the Vikings with the No. 9 overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, had a 10-year career in the NFL, all of which came in Minnesota. After showing promise in his first two seasons, Martin hit a milestone in his third season in the league.
Despite the 1982 season being reduced to nine games due to a work stoppage, Martin registered 10.5 sacks. It happened to be the first year the NFL counted sacks as an official statistic, making Martin the first player in NFL history to officially lead the league in sacks. He was also a first-team All Pro player that season.
Martin exceeded that total the following year, picking up 13 sacks in 16 regular-season games. He never reached double-digit sack totals again, though had two more years in which he registered nine sacks.
Over his 10-year career, Martin finished with 61.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles. He helped the Vikings reach the playoffs four times, going as far as the NFC Championship game during the 1987 season.