The Facts: Martin's damaged knee might be telling him to retire, but his heart has yet to give the final okay. While many believe he's prolonging the inevitable, the Jets' future Hall of Fame running back still is clinging to the faint hope that he can resume his career, multiple sources told the Daily News yesterday. "He's talking about trying to come back," one source said.

Diehards Line:According to Daily News staffer Rich Cimini, it's a longshot, and Martin knows that, but he's such a fierce competitor that he apparently doesn't want to surrender until the last possible moment. He may take several more weeks, perhaps until the start of training camp in late July, before making a decision.