Starr’s Mill alumni Cole Bishop and Sam Martin will now be playing together in the Buffalo Bills. With Bishop just starting his career as a rookie and Martin entering his 12th year in the NFL, their divergent paths have now come together.

“Starr’s Mill doesn’t, to my knowledge, have very many guys that have come out and were able to play in a league,” Martin said. “It was cool to see a Panther make it and also join the team I’m on.”

Bishop was drafted in the second round by the Buffalo Bills at the NFL draft. He was the 60th pick overall and the third safety to be picked in the 2024 draft.

Martin is about to enter his third year on the Bills and his 12th year in the NFL. He previously played for the Detroit Lions right out of the 2013 NFL draft and then the Denver Broncos in 2020.

With this being Bishop’s first season in the NFL, Martin has acted as a sort of mentor for him during the process of joining the team.

“I mean you’re going into a whole new state, new city, new team and not knowing anybody but then having that kind of instant connection with him was cool,” Bishop said. 

Bishop was only seven years old when Martin graduated from Starr’s Mill. When Bishop joined the team, Martin acted as mentor for him during the process of entering the team and even roomed with Bishop during training camp.

Bishop is currently listed second on the Bills’ depth chart at free safety. Martin is the team’s punter.

The Bills will have their first game on September 8 against the Arizona Cardinals at Highmark Stadium.