Lonnie Marts

Lonnie Marts Jr. (born November 10, 1968) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Tulane Green Wave. He currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida and is the Chief Executive Officer & Director of a 501c(3)b, non-profit organization.^{[citation needed]}

Lonnie Marts Jr

No. 51, 55, 56, 58
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1968-11-10) November 10, 1968 (age 56) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	246 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High school:	St. Augustine (New Orleans)
College:	Tulane
NFL draft:	1991: undrafted
Career history
Kansas City Chiefs (1990–1993) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1994–1996) Tennessee Oilers (1997–1998) Jacksonville Jaguars (1999–2000)
Career highlights and awards
NFL forced fumbles leader (1993)
Career NFL statistics
Tackles: 520 Sacks: 17.0 Passes defended: 1 Interceptions: 5 Forced fumbles: 16 Fumble recoveries: 12 Defensive touchdowns: 2 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Career

Marts began his NFL career as a free agent from Tulane University where he had a position as a safety, despite his large frame. In 1991, he was discovered by Tony Dungy and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He later played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1994 to 1996. Many believe that during this time is when he was at his best performance.^{[citation needed]} He later played with the Tennessee Oilers and started 15 games with the team until 1998. In 1999, Lonnie played with the Jacksonville Jaguars and replaced the injured Bryce Paup. He retired with the Jaguars in 2000.^[1]

In 2020 Marts founded Level the Playing Field Leadership Academy (LPFLA), a nonprofit organization in Jacksonville, FL.^[2]

Leadership roles

2002-2014 - Created Godspeed Sports Performance which trained athletes.

2010-2020 - Served as the Athletic Director & Head Coach at Harvest Community School.

Between these roles, Marts coached a number of high school players to the Division 1 college level.^[3]

Personal life

He is married to Gionne Taylor Marts, and they have five children.