Detroit Lions Lose Key Front Office Executive to Notre Dame
The Detroit Lions are experiencing a shake-up in their front office just before the 2025 NFL Combine, as Mike Martin, the Director of Scouting Advancement, is leaving to take on a new role as the general manager at Notre Dame. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Martin will be working with Head Coach Marcus Freeman to implement an NFL-style model at the college level, especially with the growing influence of NIL and the transfer portal in college sports.
Martin joined the Lions at the start of the Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell era, spending the last four seasons with the team. His work was highly regarded by Holmes, who frequently credited Martin as a key contributor to the team’s draft process. Under his influence, the Lions have selected six Pro Bowlers and three All-Pros in the last four drafts, showcasing the effectiveness of their scouting and roster-building strategies.
Before joining Detroit, Martin had an extensive career in scouting. He spent time with the Carolina Panthers as an area scout, and Houston Texans, where he climbed to assistant director of college scouting. His early career also included roles with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans.
This marks another loss for the Lions’ front office, which has seen several key personnel poached by other teams in recent years, including the Washington Commanders and Arizona Cardinals. However, despite these losses, Chief Operating Officer Mike Disner has opted to stay with the Lions, despite interest from other organizations.
The Lions will not receive any compensatory picks for Martin’s departure, as the Rooney Rule does not apply to college-level hires.
