Former Nebraska football star gunslinger gets second NFL life

After a tryout earlier this week, former Nebraska football quarterback Adrian Martinez is getting a second shot at making an NFL team. The former Husker gunslinger has his foot in the door. Now he needs to take advantage.

This is the second straight year that Martinez will open fall camp with an NFL team. Last year he was signed as an UDFA by the Detroit Lions and even played fairly well before being cut just ahead of the regular season. This time around, he’ll try and catch on with the New York Jets.

Former Nebraska football star gunslinger gets second NFL life

On Saturday the New York Jets announced through a release that the signed the former Nebraska football star. The signing comes after he finished up a UFL MVP season. It’s possible that performance is the reason he got a tryout with the Jets. He also had a tryout with the Seattle Seahawks.

Corresponding with the move, cornerback Kendall Sheffield was also signed to the training camp roster. QB Ben Bryant and CB Nehemiah Shelton were released. In that regard, Martinez has already beaten out at least one quarterback on the roster.

Speaking with Husker Online earlier this year, Martinez talked about his continuing mission to make a go of playing in the NFL.

“That thought never crossed my mind,” Martinez said when asked he thought of walking away from football. “It was always, ‘I need to find the right opportunity.’ I know the kind of player that I am right now is an NFL-caliber quarterback. I still have that belief. It really was about: How can I get myself back to getting that right opportunity and making sure I make the most of it?”

Has he got himself the right opportunity? Making the Jets is going to be a long shot. But at leas the former Nebraska football star has his foot in the door.