A disturbing video is now raising serious questions after newly surfaced bodycam footage showed the final moments involving former NFL running back Doug Martin before his death in police custody. The footage, recorded during a tense arrest, captures a chaotic scene as officers attempt to detain the former star. At first, the situation appears to unfold like many routine police encounters. But as the moments pass, the interaction becomes increasingly intense. Martin, who previously played for teams including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders, had long been known to fans for his explosive performances on the field. Now, attention has shifted away from football and toward the events that unfolded during that encounter with police. The newly released bodycam footage is prompting widespread reaction online as viewers try to understand exactly what happened in those final moments. But one critical detail in the video is what investigators — and the public — are focusing on most.
Horrifying bodycam footage has been released showing the harrowing moments leading up to the death of NFL star Doug Martin.
The former NFL running back died in police custody at the age of 36 in October 2025.
Shocking bodycam and surveillance footage shows the final moments leading up to Doug Martin’s death
The former NFL star died in police custody shortly after being arrested for a break-in
He was arrested after a break-in at a property in Oakland, California, around 4:15 am on October 18 and after a “brief struggle” with officers, he became unresponsive.
The former athlete was treated by paramedics on scene but he died after suffering a suspected cardiac respiratory arrest.
A definitive cause of death is still pending as his family say they are waiting final autopsy results.
Now Oakland police have released the bodycam and surveillance footage from the arrest showing Martin acting erratically, breaking through a fence, running through the yard, and breaking a window to get inside.
Officers followed him and struggled to detain him with sounds of yelling, screaming, and banging being overhead in the video.
“Hey, we’re going to help you,” one of the officers tells Martin before he starts struggling, trying to get away while screaming incoherently.
Multiple officers told him to “relax” as they tried to get him into custody.
Martin, looking panicked and shocked, continually shouted “no” while on the ground of the home gym as officers told him to “calm down.”
“Calm down man, relax for me, relax man, I’ve got you,” one officer says as another asks if they are ready to cuff him, to which the first officer said, “No not yet.”
The former Raiders star who was being held on the ground by multiple officers in between gym equipment then goes quiet.
Martin’s official cause of death is still pending as an investigation continues
After catching their breath from the difficult arrest, officers can be heard saying, “Hey Doug, it’s Oakland Police Department okay, we’re going to get you help.”
No response came from Martin who appeared to have stopped moving.
A radio call then came in asking if they were cleared for the medical unit to enter.
Martin’s family had initially contacted 911 concerned that he was suffering from a mental health episode.
“Doug’s parents were actively seeking medical assistance for him and contacted local authorities for support,” Martin’s agent, Brian Murphy, said in a statement released after his death.
“Feeling overwhelmed and disoriented, Doug fled his home during the night and entered a neighbor’s residence two doors down, where he was taken into custody by police.
“An investigation into what transpired as he was detained is underway.”
The NFL star’s family has retained the services of civil rights attorney John Burris but are not currently planning any legal action against the police department as they await final test results on his brain, per Oaklandside.com.
“I’m not presuming in this case that legal action needs to be taken until we’ve reviewed all the reports,” Burris said.
“Was it a medical condition? CTE? The police? While we wait for the investigation to be completed, the cause of death is still unclear.”
Martin’s family believe he was suffering a mental health episode at the time
CTE is a degenerative disease linked to brain trauma and is commonly found in athletes who practice contact sport and repeatedly experience head impacts, such as football.
It can only be determined after death and has plagued a number of NFL stars.
Martin’s body was sent to the Boston University CTE Center by his family.
As they await results, Burris says the police video “doesn’t give enough perspective on whether there was misconduct on the part of the officers.”
His death remains under investigation.
Known as “Muscle Hamster”, he played in the league between 2012 and 2018, primarily for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
