Report: Lions Punter Sam Martin Missed Six Games Due to Conch Shell Injury

Sam Martin’s preseason injury is an NFL first.

Lions punter Sam Martin was sidelined for all of training camp and the first six games of this season with a mysterious foot injury. Even after he returned, he refused to say what caused it, other than that it was a “freak accident.”

Thanks to Justin Rogers of The Detroit News, now we know what it was—and it has to be an NFL first. 

During a vacation in the Bahamas this summer, Rogers reports, Martin was injured by a conch shell, either by stepping on it or dropping it on his foot. It might not sound that bad but the injury was serious enough that the Lions put him on the non-football injury list, sidelining him for at least six weeks. 

The Lions have had terrible luck with their punters this season. In addition to Martin’s mollusk misfortune, replacement Kasey Redfern tore his ACL and MCL in Week 1. Detroit then turned to Jeff Locke, who punted well but was let go when the Pro Bowler Martin was eligible to return.