Lonnie Marts Jr. (born November 10, 1968) is a former American football linebacker who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida and is the Chief Executive Officer & Director of Level The Playing Field Leadership Academy, a 501c(3)b, non-profit organization.

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. 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. In 2020 Marts founded Level the Playing Field Leadership Academy (LPFLA), a nonprofit organization in Jacksonville, FL. Level the Playing Field exists to empower young male athletes of color, from single parent homes to become successful on and off the field. Their vision is to positively impact the lives of the next generation of male athletes of color.

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.

Personal life

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