UCLA Football Tight End Mike Martinez No Longer With Program

The Bruins' top blocking tight end missed most of 2021 with a leg injury, but returned to the practice field for spring camp.

A key veteran primed to make an impact on the Bruins’ offense has left the program with less than three weeks to go until the season opener.

Senior tight end Mike Martinez is no longer with UCLA football, coach Chip Kelly said during a press conference Tuesday morning. The Mater Dei (CA) alumnus had been with the Bruins since 2019 and had made appearances across all three of his years with the blue and gold.

It has not been revealed why Martinez is no longer on the team. When asked if Martinez’s departure was a new development, Kelly dodged the question and simply re-stated that he was gone.

Martinez practiced in the spring, but had not been present at fall camp since it began on Aug. 5.

"You’ve got to compensate," Kelly said about losing Martinez. "We feel good about our tight end room – they’re working extremely hard and I think it’s a really, really good group. We’re going to move on."

Three games into the 2021 season, Martinez suffered a leg injury during a loss to Fresno State and did not return. The Long Beach, California, native had previously appeared in all 22 of the Bruins’ contests since he arrived his freshman year.

Martinez played in all 12 games in 2019 and all seven games during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign. For his career, Martinez hauled in six receptions for 70 yards.

During the Nov. 7, 2020, contest against Colorado, Martinez caught his first and only touchdown on a nine-yard pass from Thompson Robinson. His longest reception came on Sept. 14, 2019, against Oklahoma when he reeled in an 18-yard catch at the Rose Bowl.

Martinez was a four-star recruit before joining the Bruins in 2019, according to Rivals, but was a three-star according to 247Sports and ESPN. Martinez was UCLA’s second-highest-rated class of 2019 commit, according to the 247Sports Composite, just behind recent Green Bay Packers’ third-round pick Sean Rhyan.

Standing at 6-foot-7, Martinez was due to play a significant role within UCLA’s offense in 2022. With the loss of Greg Dulcich to the NFL Draft, tight end snaps were up for grabs and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was likely to look for a new favorite target at the position.

Martinez had primarily served as a blocking tight end over the past few years, and he was effective enough to essentially stand in as a third offensive tackle at times. Michael Ezeike and Hudson Habermehl – who earned a scholarship at the end of spring camp – could now be the top candidates to step into more dynamic roles for Kelly and new tight ends coach Jeff Faris.

David Priebe, Grant Norberg, Sam Summa and freshmen Carsen Ryan and Jack Pedersen could all earn playing time this season as well, considering Kelly said he may want to try out three and four-tight end sets during Pac-12 Football Media Day on July 29.

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