Who are Doug Martin’s parents? Late NFL star’s mom, Leslie Martin, served as vice mayor

NFL star Doug Martin died in his hometown of Oakland, California, on October 18, 2025, aged 36. His family confirmed the news to Fox Sports the following day.

“It is with great sadness to inform you all that Doug Martin passed away Saturday morning. The cause of death is currently unconfirmed. Please respect our privacy at this time,” the statement read.

Doug was born in Oakland and raised in Stockton. His parents are Leslie Baranco Martin and Doug Martin Sr.

While not much is known about the running back’s father, his mother was a city council member and vice mayor of Stockton, California, for over a decade, according to the Times-Herald.

Exploring further about Doug Martin’s family

According to pfpma.org, Leslie Baranco Martin is a certified NFLPA agent with eight years of experience who mentors parents of up-and-coming college and pro football players. She is also an active part of the PFPMA, or Professional Football Players' Mothers Association.

Doug Martin’s mother was the first Black woman to be elected the vice mayor and city council leader of Stockton. She pursued engineering from UC Berkeley, followed by obtaining a law degree from Hastings College of Law. Later, she served as the Deputy District Attorney for San Joaquin County for two decades, specializing in cases involving minors.

Over the years, Leslie Martin, a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, has also been involved with the BWOPA (Black Women Organized for Political Action), The Links, Inc., and the Stockton (CA) Chapter.

Leslie’s LinkedIn states that she is the co-director of OSMG Southwest, LLC, as well as a certified NFL and CFL agent. The sports and entertainment family attorney enjoys travelling, snorkelling, hiking, and dancing during her leisure time.

Doug also has a sister named Gabrielle, who is a Division I volleyball star. She is also a communications graduate of Howard University who works for sports and news channels across Los Angeles.

During an August 2018 interview with the Times-Herald, Martin shared that he grew up being a fan of the Oakland Raiders, for which he later played. He also shared that his maternal grandfather lived in the Oakland Hills above Knowland Park Zoo.

“It means everything to me, having my friends and family out here to support me. This is an awesome feeling… Family from back in the day, and school teammates… everybody was there,” he said of one of his winning games against the Oakland Raiders.

Doug Martin, whose full name was Douglas Matthewbaran Martin, was born in January 1989. He served as a running back for six seasons in the NFL, after being selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

The two-time Buccaneers pro-bowler also played college football for the Boise State Broncos. Doug, who was nicknamed “Dougernaut” and “Muscle Hamster,” retired in 2018 after playing for the LA Raiders.

His former team mourned his death via social media. They shared an image of the late running back with the caption:

“Rest in peace, Doug Martin.”

They also issued a separate statement highlighting Martin’s career achievements.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and everyone whom Doug touched throughout his life,” the statement added.

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Several other NFL players paid their tributes, including Trai Essex.

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