Football - Martin to Remain on PUP List

Curtis Martin, sidelined with a knee injury since the end of last season, will remain on the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list for at least two additional weeks after the New York Jets' game at Cleveland.

Coach Mangini and Martin discussed together last week about the possibility for the NFL's No. 4 rusher rejoining the team when he was eligible to come off the PUP list on Monday. After talking with Martin, team doctors and general manager Mike Tannenbaum, they took the decision to give the team more time to assess the situation and to keep Martn out for two more weeks. The Jets (3-3) will play against Detroit this week and then travel to Cleveland, after the Jets will have a bye week starting Nov. 5th. The team will capitalize on this bye week to reevaluate Martin’s status.

Curtis Martin, 33, underwent surgery in December on his right knee. But he had a slow recovery. He has been placed on the PUP list before training camp in order to allow him to continue to rehabilitate the knee. But according to NFL rules, a player placed on the PUP list cannot be cleared to practice until after Week 6. Therefore the Jets currently have only three weeks left to decide if Martin is allowed to start practicing. If he is cleared from practice, the team would have before three weeks to choose to put either him on the active roster or on injured reserve ending his season.

Martin, who is playing his 12th NFL season, has 14,101 career yards rushing. He won the NFL rushing title two seasons ago. Even though he injured the knee last season in Week 2, Martin played in 12 games before ending his year breaking a streak of 119 consecutive regular-season starts and his string of 10 straight 1,000-yard seasons to start a career. He shared this record with another player, Barry Sanders.

When the Jets were certain that Martin would not be available for the beginning of the season, the team traded for Barlow. The running game, behind Barlow, Leon Washington, Cedric Houston and Derrick Blaylock has made most of the season. But having a healthy Martin would clearly be a huge lift for the Jets.