Taylor Martinez’s senior year at Nebraska didn’t go exactly as planned, and neither did his first shot at the NFL.
During Nebraska’s 2013 home opener against Wyoming, Martinez tore a ligament in his left foot that he continued to play on the next week against Southern Miss. By the time UCLA rolled into town, Martinez was in pain.
Martinez did his best to keep the specifics out of the media. In doing so, most fans were unaware that he had also separated his non-throwing shoulder against Wyoming.
The Philadelphia Eagles' medical staff, on the other hand, discovered both. His three-year free-agent deal with the Eagles was voided, leaving the quarterback to wonder what was next.
Sean Callahan @Sean_CallahanFailed physical ends QB Taylor Martinez's short time with the Philadelphia Eagle. Tough setback. #Huskers
"I'm not ruling out playing football, if I heal," Martinez told Bleacher Report.
As a result, Martinez has no plans to rush back until he's 100 percent healthy. He wants to make sure he heals properly before giving it another shot.
In the meantime, he does have a plan. "I'm going to become a real estate agent here in Orange County," Martinez confirmed.
Additionally, Martinez is busy creating smartphone apps. While a student at Nebraska, he began developing apps. It was during the March before his senior season when his hobby was first made public, per CBSSports.com's Jeremy Fowler.
Developing apps has been a way to make the best of a bad situation for Martinez. It has also given the 24-year-old the opportunity to combine his love of football with his passion for developing apps.
“I’ve always been interested in computers,” Martinez said. “I learned to code websites and did that in high school. I don’t know how to code apps, so I outsource those, but I come up with the ideas."
One of those apps is Stupid FAST, which Martinez describes as a game for football enthusiasts. Players have an opportunity to win real life rewards, which are all backed by companies such as Hobby Town, Sol Republic, Hail Varsity, Juice Stop and more.
The inspiration for Stupid FAST came from the same question being asked over and over: "When are you going to develop a football game?"
Alongside his younger brother Keaton, Martinez took the disappointment from the Eagles and made the game so many had been requesting. After months of hard work and programming, it finally became available for download in early September.
While Martinez is looking forward to his future, he does miss Nebraska and remains invested in the team. He's excited by the potential the new team has.
“I feel the Huskers are doing really well this year," Martinez said. "I’m excited to see how far they can go. I’m also really proud of how [the offense] is doing.”
When it comes to the person leading the offense now, Martinez acknowledged how happy he is for Tommy Armstrong.
"He had to step up last year when I got injured and he did well," Martinez said. “I'm very excited that he's grown even more and is the starting quarterback this year. The future is bright for Tommy.”
As for Ameer Abdullah? Martinez said he's always known how talented the I-back would be.
“I knew the first time I saw him as a true freshman at practice," Martinez said. "I went home and called my dad. I said he was going to be the next Reggie Bush. I feel I recognize talent pretty well and I knew that he would be good enough to win the Heisman one day."
Now that the time has come, can Abdullah win the Heisman Trophy? "Yes, he can. He's a special player."
While the future is still uncertain for Martinez, he does plan to eventually get back to Nebraska for a game. This time, though, he plans to just be a fan. "I've never seen a game from that perspective. I'm kind of looking forward to it," he said.
Whether or not Martinez ever steps back on a football field as a player is another story. Only time will tell.
However, the former Husker is making the best of it all. He plans to keep developing apps and even teased about the future of Stupid FAST. "If it's popular, I may consider an update for basketball season," he said.
One thing is for certain, though. Football will always be a part of Martinez's life.
"Maybe I'll coach kids, or my future kids, if [playing again] doesn't work out. We'll see."
All quotes were obtained firsthand, unless otherwise noted.
To learn more about Martinez's latest app and to watch the trailer, check out the Stupid FAST website. To download the app directly for iPhone, click here.
