Atlanta sent Billy Martin to Minnesota on January 24, 1968,…
Atlanta sent Billy Martin to Minnesota on January 24, 1968, for defensive lineman Jerry Shay. Martin gave the Vikings one season, appearing in all 14 games with 10 catches, 101 receiving yards, one touchdown, and regular punting work. Shay became an immediate Atlanta starter and opened 28 games across 1968 and 1969, giving the Falcons the better long-term return.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- player Jerry Shay
Minnesota Vikings Received
- player Billy Martin
Trade Analysis
Why the Trade Happened
Atlanta had used Billy Martin as a tight end and receiver during its first two seasons, but his role declined late in 1967. Contemporary reporting from January 25, 1968 says the Falcons traded Martin to Minnesota the previous day and received Jerry Shay, a young defensive lineman who had spent much of 1967 on the Vikings' taxi squad. Pro Football Archives independently dates both Martin's move to Minnesota and Shay's move to Atlanta to January 24, closing the basic player-for-player terms.
What Minnesota Received
Martin immediately became useful for the Vikings. He appeared in all 14 regular-season games in 1968, started seven, caught 10 passes for 101 yards and one touchdown, and also handled a substantial share of the punting. His receiving production was modest, but the versatility mattered on a Minnesota team that won the Central Division and reached the playoffs. Martin did not become a multi-year piece, however. Pro Football Archives lists his retirement in July 1969, so Minnesota effectively received one season from the trade.
What Atlanta Received
Shay produced the stronger long-term football return. He started all 14 games for Atlanta in 1968 and again started all 14 in 1969. Pro Football Reference credits him with 6.5 sacks in 1968 and another sack in 1969 before Atlanta later moved him to the Giants. That gave the Falcons two full seasons of starting defensive-line work from a player who had barely figured into Minnesota's 1967 plans.
Final Verdict
Atlanta Falcons Win. Minnesota got a useful one-year contributor and did not leave the trade empty-handed, which supports a C+ grade. Atlanta turned Martin into a 24-year-old defensive lineman who started every game for two seasons, earning a B. The difference is not enormous, but Shay's durability, starting role, and longer tenure make Atlanta the clear winner in hindsight.