Mourning for 36 year old
Ex-NFL professional dies after police operation
October 21, 2025 – 3:19 a.mReading time: 1 min.
The NFL mourns the loss of former football star Doug Martin. His death was preceded by a police operation following a break-in, and there is talk of a scuffle.
Former NFL professional Doug Martin has died in connection with a police operation following a burglary. The exact cause of the death of the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders football player will be determined by an autopsy, Oakland police said.
“Prior to his death, Martin was involved in a burglary at a residence in Oakland,” the statement said. When trying to arrest the 36-year-old, a scuffle broke out between him and police officers. Martin was eventually taken into custody and then became unresponsive. He was taken to the hospital and died there.
Several authorities are now investigating the circumstances that led to the death of the former professional athlete. The mayor of Oakland expressed her condolences to the Martins family. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for whom Martin played six seasons, spoke in a statement of the “huge influence” that the professional had on the team.
Martin ran as a running back and scored 30 touchdowns after running plays and two after catching balls in his career. He was twice nominated for the Pro Bowl of the best players in a season and was also elected to the NFL’s All-Pro team once. He played his last game in December 2018.