Charles Martin

Who was Charles Martin?

Charles Martin was a professional American football player, who is best known for his days with the Green Bay Packers.

Martin is noted for causing a season-ending injury to Chicago Bears starting quarterback Jim McMahon on November 23, 1986.

During pre-game warm-ups, Martin displayed a white hand-towel with a list of Bears offensive players' numbers, which he wore during the game. He allegedly claimed that it was a hit-list. After Bears quarterback Jim McMahon threw an interception, Martin grabbed him from behind and body-slammed him shoulder first to the ground. Replays showed that Martin hit McMahon at least two seconds after the pass was thrown, well after McMahon was out of the play. McMahon landed full force on his previously injured shoulder—a situation exacerbated by Soldier Field's artificial turf surface of the time—and was knocked out for the rest of the season. Martin was ejected from the game and suspended for two games. This was the first multi-game suspension for an on-field incident in modern NFL history, and would remain the longest suspension for an on-field incident until Albert Haynesworth of the Tennessee Titans was suspended five games for stomping on the head of Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode in 2006. The hand towel was saved after the game but was later lost.