The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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60 THE WOLVERINE ❱ AUGUST 2025 BY ANTHONY BROOME F ormer Michigan football defensive tackle Mike Martin is into the sec- ond act of his professional life, transi- tioning from pro athlete to financial ad- visor. Martin now works in the Detroit area for MAI Capital, which is based out of Cleveland, and stays active in the community as one of its most support- ive alums. "I'm really involved with my high school and the University of Michigan," Martin told The Wolverine at the U-M Club of Greater Flint's golf outing in June. "I'm back in Metro Detroit, where I was born and raised. I speak to public schools there, and I get more out of it than I think the community does. You need that connection. We all know in business, you have to stay in front of people. "It goes hand in hand. I'm trying to have some fun and stay in touch with the [former Michigan sports informa- tion director] Bruce Madejs of the world and all these legendary, great people that are part of the university." After a five-year NFL career that in- cluded time with the Tennessee Titans and Philadelphia Eagles as a third- round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, Mar- tin moved into financial advising with the goal of sharing his knowledge of managing money with others. "This chapter was all born out of my own necessity to learn about my fi- nances when I was in Nashville after getting drafted," Martin said. "When you get that first check, I don't care if it's for $50,000 or a way bigger number, you see a gross and you see a net and you say, 'What are all these things in between?' "Being 20-21 years old and getting my first check, I knew that I needed to fig- ure this out, and I got my master's while I was in the NFL. "That came from the mentality of you can't expect other people to get the job done — you've got to go make a play or you have to handle your own business. I had to take ownership in my own success. "In that case for me, it was financial. As I developed and learned, it bred into, 'I can help other people because of this knowledge that I have.' "It goes right back into just helping people at the end of the day. I love talk- ing to kids about this stuff. Talking to them about what a checking or savings account is. What's the stock market? It's fun all the way up to the complex stuff with clients." ❱ WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Former Football Captain Mike Martin Re-Engages With His Community Martin said his favorite Michigan memory came during his senior season — beating Ohio State, 40-34 in 2011, and celebrating the Wolverines' first win over the Buckeyes since 2003 with his teammates. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY ❱ Martin "I'm back in Metro Detroit, where I was born and raised. I speak to public schools there, and I get more out of it than I think the community does."