Detroit finished the 1954 regular season on top of the NFL West and again faced the Browns in the championship game, but lost by a score of 56–10. Martin switched from guard to linebacker the following year, when Detroit had a losing record. The team improved in 1956, however, and won another NFL championship over the Browns in 1957. Martin stayed with the Lions through the 1961 season. A strong placekicker, Martin was used primarily on kickoffs and on field goals in his later seasons in Detroit. In 1960, he became the first player in NFL history to kick two field goals longer than 50 yards in one game. He was selected for the Pro Bowl, the NFL's annual all-star game, in 1961 after leading the team in scoring with 15 field goals and 25 extra points.