Former Nebraska Quarterback Adrian Martinez Shines in New York Jets Preseason Win

Martinez entered the contest as the third quarterback, coming in after starter Justin Fields and undrafted rookie quarterback Brady Cook. Cook finished his night going 6-of-8 passing with 62 passing yards, while Fields went 3-of-4 for 42 yards in limited action. Fields would finish with the most rushing yards, scrambling for 14 yards, and added a rushing touchdown, while Martinez had 13 yards.

The former Husker quarterback is in a training camp battle with Cook for the second-string spot behind Fields after spending the 2024-25 NFL season with the Jets on the practice squad after being waived in late August after a standout preseason. Martinez elected to return to New York and signed a reserve/future contract on Jan. 6. Martinez was a key cog to the 2024 Jets' preseason roster, throwing for 270 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. Martinez has yet to appear in a regular-season NFL game since being signed as an undrafted free agent with the Detroit Lions in 2023.

Martinez has gained professional football notoriety and fandom following his 2024 tenure in the United Football League. The quarterback led the Birmingham Stalloins to the UFL Championship game following an All-UFL season, going 6-1 overall as a starter while completing 59 percent of his passes with 1,748 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, and three interceptions. Martinez was a threat rushing the football, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry while adding three scores. The quarterback was also named the 2024 UFL Championship MVP.

Martinez was a team captain for the Huskers in three of his four seasons in Lincoln before finishing his collegiate career at Kansas State. As the primary starter under coach Scott Frost from 2018-21, Martinez finished his Husker tenure as the career leader in total offensive yards (10,792), total offensive yards per game (276.7), career 300-yard total offensive games (19), career 400-yard total offensive games (5), and career 250-yard passing games (16).

During his preseason tenure in 2024, Martinez helped lead the Jets to an unbeaten three-win run with wins over the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, and Washington Commanders. Martinez competed with Andrew Peasley throughout the 2024 preseason as the Jets' third-string quarterback behind starter Aaron Rodgers and backup Tyrod Taylor. The former Husker beat out Peasley, as the Wyoming product was waived and not re-signed by the Jets. The Jets elevated their second-year quarterback when Rodgers was dealing with knee soreness prior to a Week Five matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in London.

The Jets' next preseason contest arrives on Saturday, Aug. 16, at 6 p.m. CDT as New York plays its annual NYC contest with the New York Giants.