Former National Football League (NFL) running back Doug Martin has died at the age of 36 while in police custody in California.
The Oakland Police Department said the former American football star – who played for teams including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – died Saturday after being involved in an alleged home break-in and a confrontation with authorities.
“While attempting to detain the individual, a brief struggle ensued,” the department said, adding Martin was unresponsive and taken to a hospital, where he later died.
His family announced his passing and said his cause of death was “unconfirmed”.
“We are very sorry to inform you all that Doug Martin passed away on Saturday morning,” his family told US media. The family asked for “privacy at this time.”
In a statement, Martin’s former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said they were “deeply saddened by the sudden and unexpected passing of Doug Martin”.
“From his record-setting rookie season in 2012 to his multiple Pro Bowl selections in his six seasons as a Buccaneer, Doug made a lasting impact on our franchise,” the team added.
Born in Oakland, California, Martin was a first-round pick of Tampa Bay in the 2012 NFL Draft. In his first season, Martin rushed for 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Martin played six of his seven NFL seasons for the Buccaneers, and was nicknamed the “Muscle Hamster” due to his superior strength despite being relatively short for a professional player at 5ft 9in (1.75m).
But he struggled with injuries and was suspended for four games in 2016 for violating the NFL’s drug policy after testing positive for a banned substance. He apologized and went to a drug treatment facility.
Martin also played for the Oakland Raiders in Las Vegas at the end of his career in 2018.
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