Martino is on the go

Martino is on the go

Michaela Gleed, Staff Writer

Freddie Martino is a 2013 graduate and former student-athlete from North Greenville University and currently plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Martino earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business during his time at NGU. all while running for NGU track and field and playing football. 

Martino ran his way into the NCAA Division II Conference Carolinas All-Conference team in track and field and became the record holder for NCAA Division II football catches in a season at 146 catches in 11 games.

During his four seasons in NGU Football, Martino had four different position coaches. Head Coach Jeff Farrington said, “that while they could not get a feel for his skill set until a few games into the 2013 season, due to his involvement in track and field, [Martino] outworked everyone on and off the field form the very first day we were around him.”

Martino did not focus on making it into the NFL during most of his college career. In fact, he did not even think football would be the sport he played in college. Martino played baseball, basketball, football and ran track during high school, earning all-state honors in three of them. Martino loved baseball and thought that was what he would play in college.

When the time came, he instead chose to play football in college, because he saw more doors opening. He did not know how many doors would eventually open for him after college, though. Martino hired agent Jack Reale halfway through his senior year and began having recruiters watching his games, but his training remained the same.

Farrington said, “[Martino] being evaluated by NFL Scouts had no bearing on how we coached him. Freddie was a team player and would accept whatever was asked of him.” Martino graduated from North Greenville University on May 8, the opening day of the NFL draft. Reale called Martino on Sunday, May 11 with big news. Martino would fly out the next day to join the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent.

Martino would fluctuate between the practice squad and the active roster during the following year, but his work ethic never wavered. This gained him a good reputation with both Dirk Koetter, the Falcons’ former offensive coordinator and Mike Smith, former head coach of the Falcons.

At the end of the 2014-2015 season, Martino left the Atlanta Falcons and moved to Philadelphia to play with the Eagles. When the Eagles dropped him after the 2015 draft, Koetter had become the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Mike Smith had joined Koetter at Tampa Bay as the defensive coordinator.

The two noticed that Martino had been released and quickly picked him up for the 2016 season. In an interview with Scott Smith, Koetter said “He [Martino] is a small school guy, doesn’t say much, had a lot to learn, hung in there, hung in there, hung in there”… He did the same things he is doing here in Atlanta so when he became available and we got him we were happy to get him.”

But Martino did not show up to preseason like Koetter had expected him to, so he was placed on the practice squad for the beginning of the season. Martino then committed to extra training with Buccaneers special teams coach, Nate Kaczor. His work paid off and Martino soon led the team in kick-coverage stops that season (2016).

Since his first season, Martino has solidified a position on the 53 man roster for the Buccaneers. He was able to perform proficiently in both the “X” and “Z” positions on the Buccaneers offense. Koetter said in “Freddie Martino: Always Ready,” “‘Freddie is just one of those guys that is just always there when you need him and always seems to play a little better than you think he is going to.'”