The Doug Martin Drama
December 28th, 2016
Missing.
The plot thickens.
When the Bucs held open practice viewing for media moments ago, there was no sign of everyone’s favorite Muscle Hamster, former Pro Bowler Doug Martin.
The Bucs running back, who was benched for the important do-or-die game at New Orleans was not at practice, at least the portion open to media-gazing. Joe reported this and it was also reported by WFLA-TV Channel 8 sports anchor Paul Ryan.
No representative of the Bucs has spoken publicly about the issue and the injury report will come out later this afternoon. Bucs coach Dirk Koetter will have his daily presser immediately after practice.
There is no telling why Martin was not here. Perhaps he is hurt? Perhaps he decided since he is reported to be benched again this week (the Bucs have not denied the report) he decided, the hell with it. And honestly, if Martin knows he won’t suit up for the final game, what’s the point?
Of course, all of this is sheer speculation. Koetter should be able to clear up some of the murkiness later today.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:10 pm
TMZ is reportedly in possession of a photo depicting Josh Freeman and Martin smoking a doobie. Still waiting on confirmation of this report. Could be fake news but could be accurate considering the benching.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:15 pm
LOL – media loves this kind of speculative chit….
December 28th, 2016 at 2:17 pm
He got paid big and didn’t produce….end of story. Next.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:21 pm
Martin was last seen being run over by the bus Koetter threw him under.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:22 pm
Charles Sims just put on IR
December 28th, 2016 at 2:24 pm
Insert real answer here______________.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:28 pm
@ghost…I don’t put it pass him….before the freeman meltdown, my brother and I saw freeman in international mall…I said damn he lost a lot of weight….my brother whispered I heard he’s been on coke..HEAVY…I said nonsense and then the meltdown came and no one could figure out why…..
I kid you not, Sunday, myself, my brother and uncle were talking about the game and how martin would be inactive….I said he’s still injured…my uncle said he thinks martin f’ed up but doesn’t know for sure what he did, and my brother said he heard martin has been partying and doing drugs WAY TOO MUCH….(that’s what causes his injures to linger or never heal)
im not sure what to believe but bro does have 2 very close friends, one that still plays for the bucs but got suspended for to ped’s and one that was on the practice squad and later cut…..he said he got the info from them….
I say to hell with doug, GMC and LVD……they are the losers effecting the winning culture we’re trying to create…..GO BUCS!!!!!
December 28th, 2016 at 2:30 pm
He is sitting in a hot tub lighting cigars with $100 bills laughing at the Bucs.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:37 pm
I mean, if they’re not planning on using him then why risk potentially injuring him before a trade can come through? Or, if they’re planning on keeping him, why not let his body start healing and get him ready for next season. None of this is really all that startling.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:42 pm
Bucs.com just said sims to IR. But y’all can’t see what this up coming draft has in store. I choose to go thru life blinders off.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:43 pm
Sims just went to IR
December 28th, 2016 at 2:43 pm
Question – if Doug Martin (or any player for that matter) is doing drugs, and I am not saying he is, but if he is as others have claimed, and he fails a drug test, are the Bucs still on the hook for his guaranteed money for next season? How does that work?
December 28th, 2016 at 2:58 pm
So we going into the final week of the season with a guy off the street and a undrafted free agent. But my thinking that Dalvin Cook is this years 1st round target is too far fetch some. 😂now that’s funny.
December 28th, 2016 at 2:58 pm
@gencoimports….good question….I would think so if he still has guarantee money….I may be mistaken but if a player gets caught and suspended for ped’s then the team is off the hook….I don’t know…good question tho….GO BUCS!!!!
December 28th, 2016 at 3:02 pm
Amen Patrick. Non-starter IMO! Lots of speculation!
If Sims went to IR as stated why would Doug still be deactivated? In this case, wouldn’t you dress him at least? Anyone?
December 28th, 2016 at 3:04 pm
@NOLE….look at the rb’s dirk has had in the pass….fred taylor, MJD, m.turner, s.jackson, Rodgers…..he likes a pounder and a slasher….we have 2 slashers currently(quiz and sims) now we need a pounder….rb in the first round would be the dumbest move ever….we have to beef up the trenches….oline or dline…GO BUCS!!!!
December 28th, 2016 at 3:06 pm
Them putting Sims on the IR is really not all that surprising either. Did anyone think that there would be a chance that he would get starter reps at any point? The guy is a gadget play specialist. He’s not someone that should factor in to our plans anywhere. The 3 times that he was doing his shimmying instead of moving upfield on Saturday made me scream at the TV. Good riddance to this dude. Let him do some dancing with the stars. No need to have him taking up a roster spot for us. I say let’s get some looks at the up-and-comers on the team and see how they’ve progressed through the season against live opponents. That’ll help to inform off season decisions.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:08 pm
A y’all be sure an watch my Noles play the wolverines on Friday. Catch Dalvin do his thang in that garnette and gold for the last time.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:10 pm
And Cook will be better than everyone you listed 813.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:12 pm
813bucboi, I agree, but we also need to add speed at WR. Speed kills and speed helps the running game.
Its amazing to me that the Bucs have won as many games as they have considering the huge needs they have at so many positions.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:13 pm
813 you of all people should know that in which I speak. He’s left a trail of gaytors his whole time in Tally. Never suffered a lost to the program he originally wanted to go to.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:16 pm
Im not worried….its either he’s benched and still healing…..or its he’s just not good enough to play right now, for whatever reason.
Any thoughts on drafting Nick Chubb if he’s still there in the 3rd or 4th? I know about his injury, but it could be worth it as another rb option.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:16 pm
Whatever happens with Doug Martin, I just wish that the Bucs could handle their business without all of the drama. Does any of this help the team win?
December 28th, 2016 at 3:18 pm
Although Nile Licht is a closet Noles fan, he did moronically trade up for a mediocre Seminole kicker who can’t kick over 43 yards. So drafting a rb when you have no speed at receiver and half an offensive line would be part for the course
December 28th, 2016 at 3:22 pm
Build the o line,we need a speed WR. Julio and Sanu aren’t track stars niether Brown and his partner nor Thomas and Sanders in Denver. D@$! speed I want a vet WR that wins. RT in free agency and the O line good. Draft me a star.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:22 pm
@Chris – It’s unfortunate that you thinking that the saying is “part for the course” is actually the third misinformed element in your comment.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:24 pm
Its like all y’all under MK ultra programmed to say the exact same things.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:24 pm
Is Doug retiring to join one of the Joes in starting a rival Bucs site?
Seriously…I hope Doug as a person is ok and this is nothing more than he’s too prideful t ride the bench and it is not substance related
December 28th, 2016 at 3:26 pm
Ok Patrick didn’t know the grammar police were here .I mean really, you’re going to pick apart people posting, obviously a typo, just like Nile was typed as Nile. Yeesh I bet you’re a joy to be around.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:27 pm
Like how quickly forget Mongo was taken in the 3rd.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:27 pm
Nole instead of Nile.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:30 pm
I like D’Onta Foreman
6-1, 249lbs…I like the size and he has good speed for that size plus he can be had in 3rd round
December 28th, 2016 at 3:31 pm
@Patrick…I disagree with sims playing time….I thought with doug out, quiz and sims would have the opportunity to basically make the team next year….he just needs to be used like ty montogermy from green bay….run him off tackle, on jet sweeps….line him up in the slot….anything but running him between the tackles….
if we’re sitting players because they’re dinged up, dirk might as well sit the starters down so we can see who we have next year….GO BUCS!!!
December 28th, 2016 at 3:31 pm
What the hell, Sims on IR, the coaches decides he hates not a pro-bowl Doug Martin, an All-Pro Doug Martin – I just don’t get it. I’ve never heard a peep about Martin being a troublemaker or having any off the field issues, and just like at the end of 2014 when everyone was saying to cut Martin, I saw a guy that was running hard with no holes in front of him. Dirk has got super predictable on offense this year as he’s clearly overwhelming as being head coach and OC, to take it out on Martin that he can’t get 5 yards per carry when every other play is a run up the middle on every 1st down into a defense that has 8 people at the line of scrimmage… there isn’t anyone short of Barry Sanders that would have success with that approach. You have to give Dirk a good grade this year as at worse the team will be 8-8 and that’s better than anyone who is responsible could have expected, but man is he an emo. Unless there is something like a PED suspension or something we just know nothing about, all of this makes zero sense. Blaming Martin for awful play calling and poor blocking is nonsense, the guy is coming off the best year in Bucs history for a RB (with all due respect to James Wilder) and the tape shows he’s playing hard.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:34 pm
@813 – I see what you’re saying, but if he’s good only in those scenarios then aren’t we telegraphing to the other team what’s coming then? It seems like a poor approach to things to have a roster spot, or a spot on the field, taken up by someone who has a skill set that’s nice but not necessarily electric.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:35 pm
And obviously I meant par for the course, but I really don’t want to get into it with with a person who is obviously just trying to antagonize me.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:36 pm
Bro, you clearly do. I moved on from you a while ago. You should do the same.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:37 pm
He’s going to rehab boys & girls. Duh
December 28th, 2016 at 3:41 pm
Just got notification that he is stepping away due to personal issues. We are not going to get a solid answer.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:42 pm
Martin has been missing all year, so this isn’t news. Interesting rumors about Martin’s personal life aside (and I remember when Freeman’s rumors were rampant across Tampa, to go along with his less-than-sober radio interview), Dougie is is turning 28 in a few weeks and has proven to be an every-other-year back at best. If there’s a chance to get Dalvin Cook in the middle of round one, you take him. Imagine Martin’s good-year production, except every year.
December 28th, 2016 at 3:44 pm
personal issues?
can we get out of contract?
December 28th, 2016 at 3:45 pm
Ghost of S…very interesting..something is about to break, I’m sure..I think it’s rehab too..
December 28th, 2016 at 3:46 pm
I have to think that if Martin is “stepping away” then that takes the team off the hook in terms of coming out of pocket for him. Not sure how that works, of course, but it seems like that would make sense. If that’s the case, that could clear us up with some more cap money
December 28th, 2016 at 3:51 pm
@nole….so you want to be the tampa bay Seminole…..or forida state bucs….I get it….your a fan…nothing wrong with that….but even some die hard fsu fan don’t want cook….im not denying his talent but spending a first round pick on him would be crazy….he’ll end up getting hurt….or his fumbling problem will continue….good player but not for the tampa bay bucs…..
@bffl…I agree….that’s the kind of rb we need….a big bruiser with speed….and he could be had in the later rounds….GO BUCS!!!!
December 28th, 2016 at 4:05 pm
I LOVE Dalvin Cook … and Foournette … but gooood RB’s can always be had in later rounds of the draft. Quality guys like Foreman and Kamara and even McCaffery should be available in the 2nd round with solid guys like Chubb and Freeman and others in the 3rd or later rounds.
My guess is that Tampa’s 2nd round pick is reserved for a CB like Teez Tabor or Desmond King or someone like that and its first round pick is reserved for a WR (Mike Williams, Corey Davis or John Ross), which means they won’t be taking a RB until the 3rd round or later.
Personally though I’d like to see them get a WR and DB in free agency and be able too use that first rounder on a Fournette or Cook, the 2nd rounder on a solid C/G like Pat Efflein and a 3rd rounder on a dynamic slot guy like Dede Westbrook or even another solid TE like Jake Butt … but that’s just me
December 28th, 2016 at 4:11 pm
However he fowled up it takes a big man to step up and address it head on. We owe him our best wishes and support as he works to overcome his failings.
December 28th, 2016 at 4:13 pm
I’m trying you guys census. Pass on a immediate game changer because he played at school you don’t like for what. A Right tackle in the first round no bro hold up a wide receiver when jville got Hurns off the street no bro. Maybe a DT in the first with inept performance our this year dont make since to me. A safety stop it.
December 28th, 2016 at 4:35 pm
Cook hasn’t let injuries affect his production, since you know, he’s the all-time leading rusher at FSU in 3 years over 22nd all-time NFL rusher Warrick Dunn. Fumbles have happened more than they should, but I haven’t seen a great player truly derailed by fumbling. Tiki Barber and Mike Alstott had major fumbling issues and they turned out alright.
December 28th, 2016 at 4:44 pm
Y’all some peculiar so-called Bucs fans man. I wonder how those folks in Dallas felt about Jimmie Johnson getting hired and thusly drafting all those Hurricanes back in the 90s.
December 28th, 2016 at 4:50 pm
I’ll tell you they didn’t mind at all 813, they were too busy celebrating winning superbowls.