Sam Martin (American football)

American football player (born 1990)

For the wide receiver, see Sammy Martin.

American football player

Sam Martin

Martin with the Denver Broncos in 2021

No. 6 – Carolina Panthers
Position:| Punter
Personal information
Born:|  (1990-02-27) February 27, 1990 (age 35)
Fayetteville, Georgia, U.S.
Height:| 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:| 211 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school:| Starr's Mill (Fayetteville)
College:| Appalachian State (2008–2012)
NFL draft:| 2013: 5th round, 165th pick
Career history

* Detroit Lions (2013–2019)
* Denver Broncos (2020–2021)
* Buffalo Bills (2022–2024)
* Carolina Panthers (2025–present)

Roster status:| Active
Career highlights and awards

* PFWA All-Rookie Team (2013)

Career NFL statistics as of 2024
| Punts:| 748

|

Punting yards:| 34,586
Punting average:| 46.2
Longest punt:| 72
Inside 20:| 285
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Sam Joseph Martin (born February 27, 1990) is an American professional football punter for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Appalachian State Mountaineers, and was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft.[1]

## Early life

[edit]

Martin was lettered for soccer for four years and also received all-state recognition in his junior season at Starr's Mill High School.[2]

## College career

[edit]

In his senior season at Appalachian State University, he was selected to the Associated Press All-America First team.[2] He also was named to the first-team All-America by College Sports Journal and third-team all-America by The Sports Network in his senior season.[2]

## Professional career

[edit]

Pre-draft measurables  Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span

|
|
|

6 ft 0+1⁄8 in
(1.83 m)  | 206 lb
(93 kg)  | 30 in
(0.76 m)  | 8+1⁄2 in
(0.22 m)
All values from Pro Day[3]

### Detroit Lions

[edit]

Martin was selected by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL draft. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.[4]

In Week 12 of the 2015 season, Martin was awarded as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for four punts totaling 181 yards and only three punt return yards.[5]

Martin signed a four-year contract extension with the Lions on September 9, 2016.[6] At the conclusion of the 2016 NFL season, Martin was named as an alternate for the 2017 Pro Bowl, but did not participate in the game.[7]

On September 2, 2017, Martin was placed on the non-football injury list after suffering an ankle injury during the offseason.[8][9] He was activated to the active roster on October 28, 2017, for the team's Week 8 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[10]

### Denver Broncos

[edit]

On March 30, 2020, Martin signed a three year, $7.05 million deal with the Denver Broncos.[11]

Martin was released by the Broncos on August 29, 2022, after he refused to take a pay cut.[12]

### Buffalo Bills

[edit]

On August 31, 2022, Martin signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills.[13] He signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract extension on March 13, 2023.[14]

### Carolina Panthers

[edit]

On March 11, 2025, the Carolina Panthers signed Martin to a one-year contract.[15]

## NFL career statistics

[edit]

Legend

Bold | Career high

### Regular season

[edit]

Year  | Team  | Punting

|
|

GP | Punts | Yds | Net Yds | Lng | Avg | Net Avg | Blk | Ins20 | TB
2013 | DET | 16 | 72 | 3,399 | 2,949 | 72 | 47.2 | 40.4 | 1 | 22 | 10
2014 | DET | 16 | 68 | 3,138 | 2,727 | 71 | 46.1 | 40.1 | 0 | 29 | 5
2015 | DET | 16 | 80 | 3,679 | 3,356 | 66 | 46.0 | 42.0 | 0 | 25 | 3
2016 | DET | 16 | 62 | 3,010 | 2,740 | 63 | 48.5 | 44.2 | 0 | 23 | 3
2017 | DET | 10 | 41 | 1,779 | 1,543 | 64 | 43.4 | 37.6 | 0 | 13 | 6
2018 | DET | 16 | 74 | 3,310 | 2,898 | 61 | 44.7 | 39.2 | 0 | 32 | 4
2019 | DET | 16 | 76 | 3,445 | 3,175 | 62 | 45.3 | 41.8 | 0 | 31 | 7
2020 | DEN | 16 | 65 | 3,040 | 2,734 | 69 | 46.8 | 41.4 | 1 | 19 | 4
2021 | DEN | 17 | 67 | 3,083 | 2,869 | 68 | 46.0 | 42.8 | 0 | 28 | 3
2022 | BUF | 16 | 45 | 2,146 | 1,895 | 67 | 47.7 | 41.2 | 1 | 16 | 5
2023 | BUF | 17 | 51 | 2,334 | 2,030 | 70 | 45.8 | 39.8 | 0 | 24 | 3
2024 | BUF | 17 | 54  | 2,523  | 2,189  | 65  | 46.7  | 39.8  | 1 | 25  | 5
Career | 189 | 755 | 34,886 | 31,105 | 72 | 46.2 | 41.0 | 4 | 287 | 58

### Playoffs

[edit]

Year  | Team  | Punting

|
|

GP | Punts | Yds | Net Yds | Lng | Avg | Net Avg | Blk | Ins20 | TB
2014 | DET | 1 | 4 | 142 | 142 | 48 | 35.5 | 35.5 | 0 | 2 | 0
2016 | DET | 1 | 5 | 232 | 227 | 55 | 46.4 | 45.4 | 0 | 2 | 0
2022 | BUF | 2 | 9 | 418 | 320 | 53 | 46.4 | 35.6 | 0 | 3 | 1
2023 | BUF | 2 | 5 | 223 | 196 | 52 | 44.6 | 39.2 | 0 | 2 | 0
2024 | BUF | 3 | 6  | 296  | 219  | 56 | 49.3 | 36.5  | 0  | 3 | 1
Career | 9 | 25 | 1,311 | 1,104 | 56 | 46.8 | 38.5 | 0 | 12 | 2

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2013 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
2. ^ a b c "Appalachian State Mountaineers Profile". appstatesports.com.
3. ^ "2013 NFL Draft Scout Sam Martin College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
4. ^ "2013 NFL All-Rookie Team". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
5. ^ Birkett, Dave (December 2, 2015). "Detroit Lions' Sam Martin wins NFC award; Stephen Tulloch also honored". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
6. ^ Shook, Nick (September 9, 2016). "Theo Riddick, Sam Martin agree to Lions extensions". NFL.com. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
7. ^ [1]
8. ^ "Lions place P Sam Martin on active/non-football injury list". DetroitLions.com. July 25, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
9. ^ "Lions establish 53-man roster". DetroitLions.com. September 2, 2017. Archived from the original on September 3, 2017.
10. ^ "Detroit Lions activate P Sam Martin for Pittsburgh Steelers game". Freep.com. October 28, 2017.
11. ^ O'Halloran, Ryan (March 24, 2020). "Broncos come to terms with veteran punter Sam Martin on three-year deal, source says". Denver Post. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
12. ^ "Broncos cut punter Sam Martin after he refuses pay cut". NBC Sports. August 29, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
13. ^ "Bills sign punter Sam Martin". BuffaloBills.com. August 31, 2022.
14. ^ White, Alec (March 13, 2023). "Bills agree to terms with P Sam Martin and LB Tyler Matakevich". BuffaloBills.com.
15. ^ Puente, Nathaniel (March 11, 2025). "Panthers sign former Bills punter Sam Martin". WCNC Charlotte.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sam Martin (American football).

* Career statistics from ESPN · Yahoo Sports
* Carolina Panthers bio
* Appalachian State Mountaineers bio

* v
* t
* e

Detroit Lions 2013 NFL draft selections

* Ezekiel Ansah
* Darius Slay
* Larry Warford
* Devin Taylor
* Sam Martin
* Corey Fuller
* Theo Riddick
* Michael Williams
* Brandon Hepburn

* v
* t
* e

Carolina Panthers roster

Active

* 0 Ja'Tavion Sanders
* 2 Mike Jackson
* 3 Raheem Blackshear
* 4 Tetairoa McMillan
* 5 Rico Dowdle
* 6 Sam Martin
* 7 Tre'von Moehrig
* 8 Jaycee Horn
* 9 Bryce Young
* 11 Nic Scourton
* 13 Hunter Renfrow
* 14 Andy Dalton
* 15 Jimmy Horn Jr.
* 16 Jack Plummer
* 17 Xavier Legette
* 18 Jalen Coker
* 19 Adam Thielen
* 20 Jack Henderson
* 21 Nick Scott
* 22 Lathan Ransom
* 23 Trevor Etienne
* 25 Isaac Gifford
* 26 Chau Smith-Wade
* 27 Shemar Bartholomew
* 28 Mello Dotson
* 29 Akayleb Evans
* 30 Chuba Hubbard
* 31 Corey Thornton
* 32 Trevin Wallace
* 33 Princely Umanmielen
* 34 Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams
* 35 Michael Reid
* 35 Ryan Fitzgerald
* 36 Demani Richardson
* 37 Matthew Wright
* 39 Emani Bailey
* 39 Tre Swilling
* 40 Tuasivi Nomura
* 41 Jacoby Windmon
* 42 Trevian Thomas
* 43 JaTravis Broughton
* 43 Tyler Mabry
* 44 J. J. Jansen
* 45 Bryce Pierre
* 46 Dominique Dafney
* 47 J. J. Weaver
* 48 Thomas Incoom
* 49 Jon Rhattigan
* 50 Robert Hunt
* 52 D. J. Johnson
* 53 Claudin Cherelus
* 54 Boogie Basham
* 55 Cam Jackson
* 56 Christian Rozeboom
* 57 Bam Martin-Scott
* 58 Mapalo Mwansa (Int.)
* 61 Jarrett Kingston
* 62 Chandler Zavala
* 63 Austin Corbett
* 64 Cade Mays
* 65 Ja'Tyre Carter
* 66 Steven Losoya
* 67 Luke Kandra
* 68 Damien Lewis
* 70 Brady Christensen
* 71 Michael Tarquin
* 72 Taylor Moton
* 73 Brandon Walton
* 74 Sam Roberts
* 75 Jared Harrison-Hunte
* 77 Yosh Nijman
* 79 Ikem Ekwonu
* 80 Jacolby George
* 81 T. J. Luther
* 82 Tommy Tremble
* 83 David Moore
* 84 Mitchell Evans
* 85 James Mitchell
* 86 Kobe Hudson
* 87 Brycen Tremayne
* 88 Dan Chisena
* 91 Patrick Jones II
* 92 Tershawn Wharton
* 93 LaBryan Ray
* 94 A'Shawn Robinson
* 95 Derrick Brown
* 96 Jaden Crumedy
* 97 Bobby Brown III
* 98 D. J. Wonnum
* 99 Shy Tuttle

Reserve

* 24 Jonathon Brooks (PUP)

Portals:

* American football
* Biography
* College football

*[GP]: Games played
*[Yds]: Yards
*[Lng]: Longest punt
*[Avg]: Average
*[Blk]: Blocked punts
*[Ins20]: Inside 20 yard line
*[TB]: Touchbacks
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Int.]: International Player Pathway