UFL MVP to NFL Camp Winner? Adrian Martinez Shines in Jets Victory

Eight minutes and 55 seconds in the third quarter.

That's when 24-year-old quarterback Adrian Martinez walked on the field to replace Andrew Peasley in the first preseason game of 2024 for the New York Jets .

The odds weren't great for the UFL MVP. He had joined Gang Green just a couple of weeks ago and now needed to provide somewhat of an encore of sorts after Peasley led a touchdown drive in the second quarter and a masterful two-minute drive before the half ended.

Martinez, though, wasn't worried about his roster spot with New York, or what the player in front of him did. Instead, the former Nebraska star went to work and provided even more of a spark for the Jets offense.

The undrafted free agent from 2023 completed six of 10 passes for 104 yards passing, added 24 more yards on the ground and led New York to a comeback 20-17 win over the Washington Commanders in the preseason.

"It’s been somewhat of a smooth transition," Martinez explained of his time since signing with the Jets. "Obviously, I just came off of a 12-week season, so I was just playing in football games not too long ago. Some of these guys haven’t played since their college season or last NFL season. So, I think I have a bit of an advantage that way. At the same time, it’s a long football year for me, but I’m thankful for it. Honestly, all you can ask for is an opportunity and I felt like going out there it was just football."

New York's 1-0 preseason mark will mean nothing in a little under a month, nor will Martinez be much of a factor when the team takes the field at that time, but his performance Saturday afternoon showed what fans of the UFL had come to know of the signal-caller.

Martinez can ball.

"Overall, I thought both quarterbacks executed really well, especially in situational football, the receivers did a great job coming down with those balls," Jets head coach Robert Saleh said of Martinez and the Jets offense after the game Saturday.

Because the quarterback had led the Birmingham Stallions to the UFL Championship in June, Martinez wasn't able to enjoy the usual months-long offseason that many players are accustomed to in the NFL. Despite that, Martinez was the United Football League MVP for scoring 18 total touchdowns, over 2,200 yards, and an 8-1 record as a starter.

Those extra four months and 12 games of work were critical to Martinez's development, though - even if not every team was interested in bringing him onto the roster.

"There was a good amount of interest, but maybe not as much as I was expecting right away," Martinez said. "But that’s part of it. Guys have their rosters set and obviously, as it got down to crunch time, as teams were starting to report back to camp, I started getting more workouts and the Jets were one of those teams. I came in, had a good workout, and they decided to give me an opportunity. When you’re a guy like me, you’re in this situation, that’s all you can ask for.

On a roster with Aaron Rodgers leading the way, and another veteran in Tyrod Taylor backing him up, it's extremely unlikely that Martinez will see the field for the Jets during the regular season.

Related: Jets Rookie Class Shines, Deadlocked At 10 With Commanders At Halftime

So as long as he's able to play in the preseason, the Clovis, California native knows this is as good a shot as any to prove his worth to the NFL.

And who knows, the better he plays, the more likely it is another NFL team will take notice and look to give him another shot if it doesn't end up working out with New York.

"I feel like I did well. There’s some things to learn and improve from, obviously, and then we’ll watch the tape and do those things."