Former NFL player Doug Martin has died in police custody in California

Former National Football League (NFL) player Doug Martin has died at the age of 36 while in police custody in California.

The Oakland Police Department said the former football star — who spent most of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — has died after being involved in an alleged home invasion and standoff with police on Saturday.

“As we attempted to restrain the individual, a brief struggle ensued,” the department said, adding that Martin was unresponsive and taken to a hospital, where he later died.

His family announced his death and said his cause of death was “unconfirmed”.

“It is with great sadness that I inform you that Doug Martin passed away on Saturday morning,” his family told US media. The family has asked for “privacy at this time.”

In a statement, Martin’s former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said they were “deeply saddened to learn of the sudden and unexpected passing of Doug Martin.”

“From his record-breaking rookie season in 2012 to his multiple Pro Bowl selections during his six seasons as a Buccaneer, Doug has made a lasting impact on our franchise,” the team added.

A native of Oakland, California, Martin was Tampa Bay’s first overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. During his freshman season, Martin rushed for 1,454 yards and scored 11 touchdowns.

Martin spent six of his seven seasons in the NFL playing for the Buccaneers and was nicknamed “The Muscle Hamster” because of his high strength, despite being relatively short for a professional player at 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m).

But he struggled with injuries and was also suspended in 2016 for four games for violating the NFL’s drug policy after testing positive for a banned substance. He apologized and went to a drug addiction treatment center.

Martin spent his final season with the Oakland Raiders, now based in Las Vegas, in 2018.