David Martin-Robinson’s first team was called Mean Green because of the color of its T-shirts. The 5-year-olds played at LANCO Fieldhouse.
If Martin-Robinson didn’t know it then, he knew it soon. He loved football, even the flag variety, and he wanted to play in the NFL someday.
“That was my first dream ever,” the Hempfield grad said. “Everyone who has been part of my life through this whole process knows I used to talk about that as a child.”
Martin-Robinson is about to get his chance. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound tight end from Temple has signed with the Tennessee Titans as a free agent.
Hempfield's David Martin-Robinson (32) gets a pass off to a teammate against Lincoln's Khalif Meares during the second-round of PIAA Class 6A basketball on Wednesday, March 14, 2018.
The deal came together during the seventh round of last week’s NFL Draft. Martin-Robinson had an offer from the Dallas Cowboys and interest from the Carolina Panthers. His choice came down to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Titans.
The Titans showed the most consistent interest as 257 names were called during the three-day draft. Martin-Robinson agreed to terms Saturday.
It’s always a longshot for an undrafted player to make a 53-man roster or even the 16-man practice squad. The Titans only have three tight ends plus Martin-Robinson and Iowa’s Steve Stilianos, who also signed after the draft, on their depth chart.
Martin-Robinson decided this was his best hope to stick around past Week 1.
“The foot’s in the door,” he said. “That’s all that matters right now. I’m just gonna go after it. Every opportunity they give me, I’ll make sure I’m as prepared as I can be.”
It wasn’t an easy road from Landisville to Nashville. Martin-Robinson graduated from Hempfield in 2018 and played six seasons at Temple. Injuries and COVID-19 stalled his progress. He caught just 21 passes combined in his first four years.
The lowest point came in 2021 when Martin-Robinson was limited to five games because of a broken collarbone and broken foot. He said he struggled with depression and began to ask himself difficult questions.
“I’d say my time at Temple built my character,” Martin-Robinson said. “The lows definitely were lows. Every time I would get injured, I would question whether football was trying to give me a sign. If this was really for me.”
Martin-Robinson’s college fortunes started to shift in Year 5 and continued last season when he caught 40 passes for 537 yards and four touchdowns while being named second team all-conference.
A great all-around athlete, who played basketball and ran track for Hempfield, was recruited to play wide receiver in college. Temple shifted Martin-Robinson to tight end his first year.
The 110s nearly broke Jose Barbon. He made the required time for a few before his legs start…
Martin-Robinson returned home for the weekend and had a party with friends and family as the draft reached its conclusion. Although some teams gave him a draft grade, he knew he was likely going to sign as a free agent.
It doesn’t bother Martin-Robinson that he wasn’t selected. All he wanted was an offer.
“Everybody’s path is different,” he said. “It’s all about staying consistent, keep showing up and keep dreaming. That’s really what it was for me. It was a test of my perseverance through all these years and my development as a football player.”
Martin-Robinson follows in the footsteps of Conestoga Valley grad Jose Barbon, who also went to Temple and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cowboys last year. Barbon signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League in January.
Both played flag football at LANCO. Both were MVPs at the Tri-County All-Star Game six years ago.
Martin-Robinson will attend rookie minicamp starting on May 9 and will try to make a strong first impression with the Titans. That’s where his next chapter begins. He said he won’t be intimidated when he walks into that locker room.
“It’s gonna be surreal in the moment,” he said. “I’ve been playing football for so long and I have belief in myself. When I get on the field, it’s a comfortable thing.”
From Mean Green to the Titans, Martin-Robinson has kept his childhood dream alive.
