When Nick Martin comes home from a long day of practice, his focus shifts off football to his other loves.

His family, his guitar and his dogs.

Martin, a former Oklahoma State star linebacker, is preparing for his rookie NFL season with the San Francisco 49ers. During that process, Martin has also been raising his son with his fiancée, a big part of an “incredible” past couple of months.

“He’s stepping up to the plate and doing what needs to be done in every way,” said Tosha, Martin’s mother. “It’s just exciting to see him reach these heights in his life at a young age.”

Fatherhood

Martin’s fiancée, Faith, is convinced he put a musical sound into their son’s head before he was even born.

Picking up the guitar and learning how to play new songs is part of Martin’s daily routine. It’s a hobby he’s enjoyed for several years and uses to separate from football.

On April 4, Saint, Martin and Faith’s son, was born. They quickly noticed Saint could sleep peacefully next to Martin while he plucked and strummed the strings of his guitar — unbothered, unworried, each time Martin picked up the instrument.

“I honestly think that’s because when (Saint) was in my tummy, Nick was always playing the guitar next to me,” Faith said with a laugh. “It’s literally like engraved in his brain.”

Martin is loud on the football field. He has a great deal of speed and strength and is known for making big hits and filling gaps from his linebacker position.

At OSU, he showcased those traits with a dominant 2023 season in which he led the Big 12 in tackles, solo tackles and tackles per game. He was also a First Team All-Big 12 member and had two 17-tackle games. His 2024 season was limited to five games because of a knee injury.

Off the field, though, Martin is a gentle giant. He spends as much time as he can with Saint and always finds ways to entertain his son, whether it’s with a guitar or through something else.

“It’s just like the craziest thing in the world,” Faith said. “It’s so sweet and just so cool to see the way he is with Saint at home and in comparison with how he plays on the field.”

April 2025 will be a month to remember for Martin and his family. He welcomed a child into the world and reached his lifelong goal of playing professional football.

Faith said her and Martin’s lives have moved fast since then, though it’s gone exactly how they would have wanted.

“I literally can’t even explain to you how insane everything has been,” Faith said. “Like, literally, there’s not even a way to put it into words. Everything has just been such a big blessing.”

Rookie season

The combined populations of Martin’s hometown (Texarkana, Texas) and his college town (Stillwater) are about 86,100.

Now, Martin is getting settled into a city with a population of about 828,000.

Although it’s a big jump from what he’s known, Martin is staying true to himself. He’s still wearing his big animal slippers he famously wore at OSU, and has brought his personality and his flair to San Francisco.

“He doesn’t question what he’s doing,” Faith said. “So, I think that instead of it being how Nick is getting adjusted to California, it’s how California is adjusting to Nick.”

In preseason, Martin put up 13 solo tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. Eight of those tackles, along with the forced fumble, came against the Chargers in a 30-23 victory.

San Francisco opens its regular season Sept. 7 against the Seattle Seahawks on the road. Some of Martin’s family plan to be in Seattle to watch Martin kick off his NFL career — a goal they’ve seen him long work toward.

“I’m looking forward to that smile on his face,” Tosha said. “After the game, him being pleased with what he’s accomplished and done, that’s what I’m looking forward to most.”

Martin made several plays in the preseason and continuously caught eyes. With his combination of speed and tackling ability, there’s a path for him to be a key contributor right away for 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.

Saleh previously said Martin has “tremendous violence” and has voiced confidence in Martin’s abilities. Soon, Martin will continue to put those on display when his rookie season begins next Sunday.

“I’m his dad, so I’m a little partial,” said Michael, Martin’s father. “But with how motivated he is, I think he could go push for rookie of the year if he gets his shots… What’s been most exciting is the progression he’s made and just watching him get here.”