Martha played high school athletics at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, where he was a star quarterback, graduating in 1960.
[2] After playing quarterback in 1961, he moved to running back, where he became a consensus All-American in his second season at the new position.
[8] After the 1969 season, his sixth and last one in Pittsburgh, he played for the Denver Broncos in 1970, picking off a career-high six passes for 99 return yards.
[7] During his time playing for the Steelers, Martha attended Duquesne University, from which he earned a law degree.
He rose in prominence with DeBartolo's sports teams, becoming executive vice president, general counsel and CEO of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1977 and executive vice president and general counsel of the San Francisco 49ers in 1978.