Former NFL linebacker Blake Martinez is attempting a comeback following his failed Pokémon card business scheme. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Martinez worked out for the Panthers this week.
Martinez retired from the NFL last November to get into the business of selling trading cards, primarily Pokémon cards. As the owner of the trading card company Blake’s Breaks, Martinez originally claimed to have earned over $5 million in the company’s first seven months.
However, it turned out that Martinez’s business apparently wasn’t up to par. WhatNot, an online marketplace that oversees the buying and selling of collectibles, banned Blake’s Breaks in August for an undisclosed reason amid allegations by customers who claimed they were scammed by the company.
Dennis Schneidler/USA Today network
The veteran said as recently as June that he had no desire to return to the NFL, claiming he preferred his trading cards business to the physical nature of the NFL.
Martinez was drafted by the Packers in 2016 and spent four seasons in Green Bay before joining the Giants in free agency prior to the 2020 season. After two years with New York, Martinez spent the start of last season with the Raiders before retiring.
The linebacker played in all but three games during the first five years of his pro career, but he tore his ACL early in 2021. Over the course of his career, Martinez totaled 13 sacks, four interceptions, four forced fumbles and over 700 tackles in 84 games.
