NFL

With Buying on the Brain, Curtis Martin Meets With Falcons Owner Arthur Blank

Former New York Jets running back Curtis Martin and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank sat down to dinner on Wednesday night to discuss business. What business was being discussed? Unfortunately, only the two of them know the answer that. However, speculation has already begun.

Back in late July, shortly after his retirement, Martin announced that he would like to own an NFL team. Although he was not more specific, he made it sound as if a deal was already on the table.
"I'm done playing football in the NFL but I'm not done in the NFL," Martin said.

Then [he] disclosed that he was interested in purchasing an NFL team.

"I can't be specific right now because I don't want to jeopardize the deal," he added.
Could the Michael Vick controversy be weighing so heavily on Blank that he just wants to pack it in? And if so, is that where Martin fits in?
"It was clearly business," Palm general manager Willy Cellucci told the AJC's Peach Buzz when we called Thursday. "It wasn't two old buddies getting together. It appeared that Curtis was coming into town to see Arthur. I showed Curtis to Arthur's table and heard Arthur ask Curtis, "Did you find the place OK?"
Unless Martin received significant amounts of money under the table during his days as an NFL player, or plans to apply for loans that would give him enough to buy a small third world country, I can't see a scenario where Martin has enough money to purchase a franchise. However, it would not been entirely unrealistic to assume that he would buy a portion of a team. Say ... the Atlanta Falcons.

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