Nortman was born and raised in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Nortman attended Brookfield Central High School in Brookfield, Wisconsin.[2] Nortman was ranked as the No. 4 punter in the nation by Rivals.com and No. 8 by Scout.com. He was rated as the fourth-best player in the state of Wisconsin by Scout.com for the 2008 recruiting class.[3] Following his senior season, Nortman was named first-team all-state as a punter, first-team all Greater Metro Conference as a linebacker as well as Greater Metro Conference co-defensive back of the year. He also played tight end garnering honorable mention Greater Metro Conference honors during his senior year.[citation needed]
College career
Nortman attended the University of Wisconsin from 2008–2011.[4] In the 2008 season, he finished with 66 punts for 2,781 net yards for a 41.8 average.[5] In the 2009 season, he finished with 49 punts for 2,056 net yards for a 42.0 average.[6] After his sophomore season in 2009, Nortman was named honorable mention All-Big Ten (coaches), ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District and Academic All-Big Ten. In the 2010 season, he finished with 38 punts for 1,623 net yards for a 42.7 average. Following his junior season in 2010, Nortman was named academic All-Big Ten.[7] In the 2011 season, he finished with 46 punts for 1,943 net yards for a 42.2 average.[8] Following the 2011 season, Nortman was named consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten, Academic All-Big Ten and participated in the 2012 Senior Bowl.[9] Nortman ranks third in Wisconsin history with a career punting average of 42.1 yards per punt. He is fourth in school history with 8,383 career punting yards and fifth with 199 career punts.[10]
Professional career
Carolina Panthers
Nortman was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round, with the 207th overall pick, of the 2012 NFL draft.[11] In his rookie season, he finished with 76 punts for 3,267 net yards for a 43.0 average.[12] Nortman set Carolina franchise records for gross punting average and net yards during the 2013 season and was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December 2013.[13][14] In 2013, Nortman led the NFL in gross yards per punt and air yards per punt in open field punts, averaging 52.6 yards per punt and 51.9 yards per punt, respectively.[15] He finished 3rd in the NFL with 4.6 seconds of hang time per punt. Nortman also set a new record for the Carolina Panthers franchise’s record for average distance per punt in a season.[16] In the 2013 season, he finished with 70 punts for 3,344 net yards.[17] In the 2014 season, he finished with 72 punts for 3,236 net yards for a 44.9 average.[18] In the 2015 season, he finished with 70 punts for 3,175 net yards for a 45.4 average.[19] On February 7, 2016, Nortman was part of the Panthers team that played in Super Bowl 50. In the game, the Panthers fell to the Denver Broncos by a score of 24–10.[20]
As of 2017[update]'s NFL off-season, Nortman held at least seven Panthers franchise records, including:
Punts: playoffs (25), playoff game (7 on February 7, 2016, in Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos)[citation needed]
Punt Yards: game (451 on November 11, 2012, against the Denver Broncos), playoffs (1,012), playoff game (315 on February 7, 2016, in Super Bowl 50 against the Denver Broncos)[citation needed]
Yards / Punt: season (47.77 in 2013), game (56.71 on November 24, 2013, against the Miami Dolphins)[citation needed]
In Week 4 of the 2016 season, against the Indianapolis Colts, he booted a career-high 78-yard punt.[23] Nortman's 78-yarder tied Johnny Hekker for the longest punt of the 2016 season.[24] Overall, in the 2016 season, Nortman finished with 77 punts for 3,589 net yards for a 46.6 average.[25] In Week 13 of the 2017 season, he completed a 29-yard pass in the game against the Indianapolis Colts.[26] Overall, in the 2017 season, he finished with 87 punts for 3,835 net yards for a 44.1 average.[27]
On April 30, 2018, Nortman was released by the Jaguars after the team drafted punter Logan Cooke in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL draft.[28]