49ers rookie Nick Martin reveals preseason goal: 'Prove myself'

San Francisco 49ers rookie linebacker Nick Martin opened his media session on Tuesday by assuring reporters that his fractured thumb is fully healed. The injury, sustained while weightlifting, hasn't slowed him down, and he has been a full participant in training camp.

"It healed up, and I'm full go, 100%," Martin said.

The first couple of weeks of training camp have been a learning experience for the rookie, but Martin says he's enjoyed every minute of it. Several teammates, including All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, have served as mentors as he adjusts to life in the NFL.

"He's a great mentor to me, and I learn from him a lot," Martin shared. "He's a funny guy, and he's just a great person to be around. Great player to learn from, too, so I got nothing but great words for him."

Warner has offered advice on building an NFL routine and understanding the extra work needed to succeed.

Getting physical and a preseason goal

Martin admits it has been challenging to hold back from tackling during practice and is eager for his preseason debut on Saturday against the Denver Broncos, when he'll finally have an opportunity to be more physical.

"Yeah, I'm excited," Martin said. "I'd probably say that's the biggest word I got for it—is real excited and just excited to live the dream for real, and actually finish these plays."

Asked what he hopes to accomplish in the preseason, Martin kept it simple.

"Prove myself," he responded. "Actually bring it to life, bring plays to life, and really, just playing with my guys. This is the first time of me being part of this team, so I'm excited to be a part of it in-game and playing with them, and having fun on the field, and doing what I love with the guys I want to do with.

"I'm excited about it, and I'm definitely looking forward to just really the whole shebang, really."

Martin is ready to contribute

A strong performance in the preseason will go a long way in showing coaches he's ready to contribute, even as a rookie. The 49ers will need their first-year players to step up in 2025 as they look to overcome offseason departures and rebound from a disappointing 2024 campaign.

"It definitely has been a little bit of a learning curve," Martin said, "but I've definitely grown a lot in just these two weeks of the camp going on, and it's been a lot of just growth, and a lot of growth that I've seen in myself. And definitely, it's beginning to slow down a little bit, and the reps are definitely allowing me to get better."