Carlos Martínez (American football)

Carlos Martinez (born June 4, 1980 in Council Bluffs, Iowa) is an American football placekicker who is currently a member of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League. He has also played in the af2 for the Fresno Frenzy, in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and from 2004–2006, and for the Dallas Desperados in the AFL.

High school career
Martinez attended Papillion La Vista Senior High School and was a letterman and a star in football and wrestling. In football, he was a three-time All-State honoree and set the Nebraska prep record for career field goals with 28 field goals. In wrestling, he won the state championship as a senior.

College career
Martinez played college football at Buena Vista University, and was a four-year letterman in football as a kicker. He was a three-time All-America selection, a three-time All-IIAC honoree. As a senior, he was also named the NCAA Division III Kicker of the Year and as a junior, he was named the team Special Teams Player of the Year. He is the all-time field goal leader at Buena Vista with 48 and second all-time in Division III. Martinez also excelled as a punter in college, with an average exceeding 40 yards. Martinez capped off his senior season at BVU in 2002 with a selection to play for the American Football Coaches Association Division III All-Star Team which represented the United States against the Mexican National Team in the 2001 Aztec Bowl. Martinez was named the USA MVP by the media in attendance as he averaged 55.2 per punt (8-441 yds.) to consistently pin Mexico deep in its own end in the contest. He returned to BVU in the fall of 2006 as an assistant football coach before being called up by the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys released Martinez in May 2007.

Professional career
In 2010, Martinez returned for the Orlando Predators in the Arena Football League. He missed the kick to advance the Orlando Predators to the Arena Football League Championship game, however, he had a league-high 13 field goals, and made 104 PATs. His performance earned him another signing for an outdoor American football league, with the Florida Tuskers.