From East Texas State, Harvey Martin was drafted in the third round of the 1973 NFL Draft, where he lived out every Dallas kid's dream by slipping on the silver and blue. Born and raised in the city, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound pass rusher brought terrifying closing speed to Tom Landry’s "Doomsday II" defense. He spent his first two years serving as a designated pass-rush specialist—even leading the team in sacks as a rookie—before seizing the starting right defensive end job in 1975 and instantly transforming the Cowboys' front line.

Martin developed into an exceptional force over the subsequent four years, achieving four consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 1976 to 1979. His most notable accomplishment occurred during a remarkable 1977 season, when he delivered what is regarded as one of the most dominant individual performances by a defensive lineman in professional football history. Martin recorded 20.0 sacks in only 14 regular-season games—a total officially recognized by the Cowboys as 23—thereby securing the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award and earning First-Team All-Pro honors.

That standout player carried his exceptional skills into the postseason, where Martin dominated opposing backfields on his way to Super Bowl XII. Playing against the Denver Broncos on the biggest stage, he achieved two sacks and constant quarterback pressure, sharing Super Bowl MVP honors with teammate Randy White in the league's first co-MVP award. Every time Martin sacked a quarterback at Texas Stadium, the scoreboard displayed "MARTINIZED"—a fitting tribute to a defender known for making life difficult for offensive tackles of that era.

Although the NFL only began officially recording sacks in 1982, Pro Football Reference's retrospective film analysis shows Martin achieved 114.0 sacks over his 158 regular-season games with Dallas. He was the Cowboys’ sack leader six times during a nine-year period, setting a franchise record that lasted three decades until DeMarcus Ware surpassed it in 2013.

Martin spent 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (1973–1983), playing in 158 regular games and 22 postseason contests. He recorded 114.0 career sacks (17.5 postseason), two interceptions, six fumble recoveries, and won Super Bowl XII. A four-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro (First-Team in 1977), and part of the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team, he is a key figure of the Doomsday Defense.