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LB Blake Martinez has been poached by Pittsburgh. Here are the 15 players who remain on the Panthers’ practice squad following the loss.
The Carolina Panthers were poached on Tuesday.
According to ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Pittsburgh Steelers chose linebacker Blake Martinez—as they plan on signing the 29-year-old defender off the Carolina practice squad and onto their active roster. So, that’ll leave the Panthers with just 14 players in the group.
Until they get back up to 16 of them, let’s look at who’s currently on the squad:
The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing NFL journeyman Blake Martinez to their 53-man roster.
Firings aren’t the only things the Pittsburgh Steelers are up to today. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, they’re signing journeyman linebacker Blake Martinez to their active roster.
He’s not so well-known for his playmaking ability as he is for an alleged Pokémon card scam involving his company. Martinez retired from the league last fall to focus on his collectibles business.
A fourth-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in 2016, Martinez, 29, spent his first four seasons with the club. That run was productive enough to earn a three-year, $30 million free agent deal with the Giants in 2020. He was released during cutdowns in 2022 and then appeared in four games with the Raiders before retiring to sell rare Pokémon cards. After the scam allegations surfaced, Martinez returned to the NFL and was most recently on the Carolina Panthers practice squad, which is where the Steelers are plucking him from.
In 84 games (78 starts), Martinez has logged 13 sacks, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 18 quarterback hits and 22 passes defended.
Steelers are signing veteran NFL LB Blake Martinez off the Panthers’ practice squad and on to their 53-man roster, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 21, 2023
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Steelers are signing LB Blake Martinez off the Panthers’ practice squad.
The Carolina Panthers never got to break their Blake Martinez pack.
As first reported by ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter on Tuesday afternoon, the Pittsburgh Steelers are signing the veteran linebacker off the Panthers’ practice squad. He will now become a member of Pittsburgh’s active roster.
Martinez officially joined Carolina’s practice squad exactly two weeks ago, on Nov. 7. The 29-year-old defender, who announced his retirement from football in the middle of the 2022 campaign, was brought in by the Panthers for a workout on Oct. 25.
After Martinez was added, defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero gave reporters a tiny glimpse into how the team was able to lure him back into an NFL locker room.
“Really, it was Scott [Fitterer] and his staff that did a great job doin’ the research,” Evero said two weeks ago. “Diggin’ into him, what he’s done the last couple years. Obviously, myself, Coach [Pete] Hansen, Coach Dom [Capers] have experience with him. So, that helps. But, yeah, it’s been a collaborative effort.”
Martinez’s last appearance came for the Las Vegas Raiders back on Nov. 6, 2022.
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Panthers LB Blake Martinez was asked about his Pokémon trading card scandal on Tuesday.
It was once said that Blake Martinez brings the same level of hype he had sacking a quarterback when he pulls a Charizard from a pack. Well, no one’s seen that level of hype from Martinez in some time—on either front.
The linebacker-turned-Pokémon card trader-turned-linebacker spoke with reporters on Tuesday, a few hours after he officially signed on with the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad. Before making his return to an NFL locker room, Martinez was banned from conducting business on the marketplace Whatnot following an investigation that concluded he had scammed customers.
He was asked about it this afternoon.
“Yeah, I don’t wanna go too deep into it,” he said. “I think the main thing I wanna address is there’s a lot of things out there that aren’t true, a lot of speculation, a lot of false claims. But, just still workin’, workin’ through those type of things and hope to be back.”
Martinez’s company Blake’s Breaks hosted live streams on Whatnot—where he would open packs of Pokémon trading cards and auction them off to viewers. He claimed he had brought in over $11.5 million worth of revenue in under a year through his sales.
This past summer, however, users on YouTube and Reddit accused Blake’s Breaks of various offenses—including swapping out high-level packs for lower-level packs on broadcasts, not shipping out orders and manipulating bets.
Whatnot’s investigation into the matter resulted in Martinez’s permanent ban from the platform on Aug. 4.
Now, the 29-year-old, who last played on Nov. 6 of 2022 for the Las Vegas Raiders, will try to reemerge on the platform he’s a bit more known for.
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Panthers DC Ejiro Evero didn’t rule out the possibility of LB Blake Martinez suiting up for Thursday night’s matchup against the Bears.
Considering the less-than-ideal circumstances he’s faced this season, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has pulled off quite a few tricks in fielding a respectable unit. But there may not be enough magic to pull this one off . . .
On Tuesday, the team officially signed linebacker Blake Martinez out of retirement and onto their practice squad. The 29-year-old, who threw up the deuces on the NFL in the middle of last season to go deal in the Pokémon trading card business, hasn’t played a snap since Nov. 6, 2022.
So, with a myriad of injuries, will Martinez be in uniform against the Chicago Bears on Thursday night? Evero was asked about the possibility this afternoon.
“Well, he’s really smart so he’s already got the calls down and all that,” he replied. “We’ll see about Thursday. Not quite sure about that. It’s kinda hard to tell in a walk-through, physically. But in terms of the mental part—pretty sharp.”
The two shared a sideline in 2016, when Evero was a defensive quality control coach for the Green Bay Packers. He then gave a little insight into how the Panthers brought Martinez back in.
“Really, it was Scott [Fitterer] and his staff that did a great job doin’ the research,” Evero said. “Diggin’ into him, what he’s done the last couple years. Obviously, myself, Coach [Pete] Hansen, Coach Dom [Capers] have experience with him. So, that helps. But, yeah, it’s been a collaborative effort.”
The Panthers will be without at least two more linebackers in Week 10. Brian Burns has already been ruled out by head coach Frank Reich while Chandler Wooten was placed on injured reserve this morning.
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Former New York Giants LB Blake Martinez has come out of retirement and signed with the Carolina Panthers.
According to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, the Panthers are signing LB Blake Martinez out of retirement.
With injuries continuing to pile up, the Carolina Panthers had to dig deep to find some help. And that help, according to Bleacher Report NFL insider Jordan Schultz, will be coming out of retirement.
As reported by Schultz on Monday afternoon, the Panthers plan on signing linebacker Blake Martinez, who worked out for the team on Oct. 25. Head coach Frank Reich later confirmed the addition following Monday’s walk-through.
Martinez was a fourth-round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2016. He’d spend his first four pro campaigns there, recording 512 total tackles—including a league-leading 144 in his sophomore year of 2017.
After his rookie contract in Green Bay expired, Martinez inked a three-year, $30 million deal with the New York Giants in 2020. His second season with Big Blue would be cut short, as a torn ACL sidelined him after just three games in 2021.
A year later, Martinez would sign with the Las Vegas Raiders as a member of their practice squad. He’d go on to appear in four games before announcing his retirement in early November.
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After some Pokémon card drama earlier this year, former New York Giants LB Blake Martinez is attempting an NFL comeback.
Former New York Giants linebacker Blake Martinez stepped away from the NFL last November to pursue a career in Pokemon cards. His retirement was abrupt and unexpected.
Martinez had found a new niche in the card game, which began when he bought and later sold a rare Pokemon card for $672,000.
In just seven short months, Martinez claims to have earned upwards of $5 million in Pokemon card sales and breaks. He had started a regular stream on the popular Whatnot app but then things got a little hairy.
In August, Whatnot suspended the account owned and operated by Martinez after scamming accusations had arisen. Several of those who purchased cards through Martinez’s breaks were issued refunds.
Martinez offered an apology. Of sorts.
“I understand the optics,” Martinez said. “I understand how it looks, trust me. I know the type of business I run. I know the type of decisions I made across the board.
“I made a good amount of money — everybody knows, in the NFL — I knew stepping into this was going to have a target on my back.
“I know people that come in here, spend their hard-earned money that they could spend elsewhere — and I want this to be a safe space. I’m definitely going to take this as a learning experience … and I’m going to make an improvement.”
Now, just a few short months after the Pokemon card fallout, Martinez is working on an NFL comeback.
Martinez was officially released by the Las Vegas Raiders last week and on Thursday, worked out for the Carolina Panthers.
Veteran LB Blake Martinez worked out today for the #Panthers.
After retiring last November, the 29-year-old Martinez got his release from Las Vegas last week and is looking to make a comeback. pic.twitter.com/D0i1ylQyw7
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 25, 2023
Although Martinez was not immediately signed by the Panthers, it’s clear that his career course has shifted once again. Still just 29 years old, it will be interesting to see if an NFL team eventually brings him on.
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Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Panthers worked out LB Blake Martinez on Wednesday.
When it comes to injuries in 2023, the Carolina Panthers have proven they sure can catch ’em all. So now, they’re trying to catch a break.
As reported by NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Panthers worked out linebacker Blake Martinez on Wednesday. The 29-year-old last played in 2022, as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Martinez was drafted into the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2016. The University of Stanford product, who was honored with a First-team All-Pac-12 nod on his way out, would go on to have a productive first four seasons.
He’d lead the entire league in tackles in just his second campaign, recording a combined 144 takedowns. Martinez followed that standout year with 144 tackles in 2018 and 155 in 2019.
The 6-foot-2, 237-pound defender then signed a three-year, $30 million pact with the New York Giants in 2020. He was released after just two of those years.
Las Vegas came calling soon after, as Martinez signed on to the Raiders’ practice squad in October of 2022. He appeared in four games that season before announcing his retirement.
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Whatnot has permanently banned former New York Giants LB Blake Martinez for “misconduct” while others have accused him of a Pokémon scam.
Former New York Giants linebacker Blake Martinez abruptly retired from the NFL in November of 2022. The announcement came just one month after he had signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Martinez later revealed that the decision came following the sale a rare Pokémon card for more than $650,000. He then dove head-first into the hobby, amassing more than $5 million in just seven months.
“Every single day when I wake up, my shoulder doesn’t hurt and my back doesn’t hurt anymore,” Martinez said at the time, via CNBC. “When all that hurts are my fingers from opening, like, 1,000 packs of cards per day, I think, ‘I’m going to keep doing this.'”
Martinez quickly opened multiple warehouses and established “Blake’s Breaks,” an entity that employed more than 20 people and livestreamed Pokémon card openings for 16 hours a day.
A little under the year mark, Martinez’s total sales had reportedly eclipsed $11 million.
However, things took a turn for the worst on Friday when Whatnot, a popular marketplace application, permanently banned “Blake’s Breaks” and all of their individual employees, alleging “misconduct.”
We have refunded all buyers impacted by the infractions. If you believe you were affected by an incident on his streams, please submit the details here, and we will investigate: https://t.co/u1qXaCUgIF
— Whatnot (@Whatnot) August 4, 2023
Whatnot did not provide specific details into what was discovered during their investigation, but Pokémon YouTuber “Rattle Pokemon” published an eight-part series breaking down what he believed to be scams carried out by Martinez and Blake’s Breaks.
Prior to his Whatnot ban, Martinez did offer an apology of sorts, acknowledging that the “optics” of one of his team’s breaks did not look good.
“I understand the optics,” Martinez said. “I understand how it looks, trust me. I know the type of business I run. I know the type of decisions I made across the board.
“I made a good amount of money — everybody knows, in the NFL — I knew stepping into this was going to have a target on my back.
“I know people that come in here, spend their hard-earned money that they could spend elsewhere — and I want this to be a safe space. I’m definitely going to take this as a learning experience … and I’m going to make an improvement.”
Martinez said the person (“Snee”) who ran the break that initially raised red flags had “no ill intent whatsoever” but would no longer be running breaks for his company. That same person also offered an apology of their own.
Martinez has not yet addressed the Whatnot ban publicly or the allegations by Rattle Pokemon, who invited Martinez onto his platform to discuss the accusations, Whatnot ban and the seemingly shady behavior.
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