Two decades ago, the New York Jets rocked the NFL with a record-setting contract for a free-agent running back. It was Curtis Martin, who now has a bronze bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
As a player, Martin had a huge fan in Groveport, Ohio. The kid's name was Le'Veon Bell, who has said on numerous occasions that Martin was his favorite player. This is a full-circle kind of story because now Bell is the Jets' splashy free-agent signing, and Martin is the fan.
"I definitely think Le'Veon is one of the best, if not the best back in the NFL," Martin said Wednesday in a phone interview with ESPN.