"I started wearing #99 in high school," said Martin, a native of Cincinnati. "I just liked the guys that wore it. Warren Sapp wore it when he played for Tampa Bay and that was my favorite team growing up. Jason Taylor had it and I really liked watching him play. I just stuck with it. Some people say a number is just a number, but it became part of my identity. 'Number 99, that's Ben Martin.' That was me. It represented a large part of what I was at Tennessee."

"I wore number #99 because I wanted to be the last one on the roster but number #1 in the hearts of the Vol fans! ... Number 99 was special to me because it became my lucky charm and it lead to a lot of wins on and off the field. My favorite thing about wearing #99 are the great Vols memories I had with that number on my back. The great teammates that I played and the great victories we shared are treasures for a lifetime."