The Detroit Lions are losing a key piece of their front office just before the 2025 NFL Combine. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Director of Scouting Advancement Mike Martin is leaving to become the new general manager at Notre Dame.
Schefter added, as is becoming common in the era of NIL and a transfer portal that operates a lot like pro free agency in college sports, Martin will help head coach Marcus Freeman "bring an NFL model to South Bend."
Martin spent the last four seasons with the Lions, coming aboard at the start of the Brad Holmes-Dan Campbell regime. Holmes consistently mentioned Martin as an integral part of the draft process.
Before coming to Detroit, Martin spent three seasons (2018-2020) with the Carolina Panthers as an area scout. Prior to his time in Carolina, Martin spent 11 seasons with the Houston Texans in various roles, climbing to assistant director of college scouting. He also spent four seasons (2003-2006) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and one with the Tennessee Titans as an intern to start his career (2002).
The Lions’ website described Martin’s role as working “with the college and pro personnel staff to enhance the scouting and roster-building processes.” In the last four drafts, the Lions have selected six Pro Bowlers and three All-Pros to become a shining example of how to draft well.
Lions lose another member of the front office
The headline this offseason is the number of assistant coaches the Lions have lost. But with success comes other teams wanting to replicate what you're doing any way they can, and Martin is just the latest member of the front office to be lost.
Just last offseason, the Washington Commanders hired away two members of the Lions' front office (Senior Director of Player Personnel Lance Newmark and Senior Director of Football Administration Brandon Sosna). In 2023, the Arizona Cardinals hired Assistant Director of College Scouting Dave Sears as their assistant general manager. Chief Operating Officer Mike Disner has been sought after for general manager jobs, but up to this point he has chosen to stay with the Lions.
It's worth noting the Lions will not receive any compensatory picks for losing Martin to a general manager job. The “Rooney Rule” does not apply to minority candidates who get hired at the college level.
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