# Marv Bateman > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Marv_Bateman > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Marv_Bateman.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marv_Bateman > Source revision: 1350299819 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Marvin Fredrick Bateman** (born April 5, 1950) is an American former professional [football](/source/American_football) player who was a [punter](/source/Punter_(American_football)) in the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) (NFL) for the [Dallas Cowboys](/source/Dallas_Cowboys) and [Buffalo Bills](/source/Buffalo_Bills). He played [college football](/source/College_football) for the [Utah Utes](/source/Utah_Utes_football). ## Early life Bateman attended [Highland High School](/source/Highland_High_School_(Utah)), where he competed in football, basketball and [baseball](/source/Baseball). He accepted a football scholarship from the [University of Utah](/source/University_of_Utah). He led the nation in punting in his last 2 years and became the first [Utah](/source/Utah_Utes_football) football player to receive first-team [All-American](/source/College_Football_All-America_Team) honors two years in a row. As a senior, he set school records for average yards per punt (48.07) and total punt yardage (3,269). During his college career he was also the team's [placekicker](/source/Placekicker), making 21 [field goals](/source/Field_goal_(American_and_Canadian_football)) (sixth in school history), converting 51 percent of his attempts and had a school record 59 yard [field goal](/source/Field_goal_(American_and_Canadian_football)).[1] In 1987, he was inducted into the [Utah Sports Hall of Fame](/source/Utah_Sports_Hall_of_Fame).[2] In 2004, he was inducted into the [University of Utah](/source/University_of_Utah) Crimson Club Hall of Fame.[3] ## Professional career ### Dallas Cowboys Bateman was selected by the [Dallas Cowboys](/source/Dallas_Cowboys) in the third round (78th overall) of the [1972 NFL draft](/source/1972_NFL_draft) and became the starter, after the team traded [Pro Bowl](/source/Pro_Bowl) [punter](/source/Punter_(football)) [Ron Widby](/source/Ron_Widby) to the [Green Bay Packers](/source/Green_Bay_Packers) along with [cornerback](/source/Cornerback) [Ike Thomas](/source/Ike_Thomas), in exchange for a [1973](/source/1973_NFL_draft) second round draft choice (#46-[Golden Richards](/source/Golden_Richards)).[4] As a rookie, his progress was slowed by a sprained ankle he suffered in the second game of the season. He averaged a disappointing 38.2 yards per [punt](/source/Punt_(gridiron_football)), but still received [NFL](/source/National_Football_League) All-Rookie honors. In [1973](/source/1973_NFL_season), he improved his average to 41.6 yards per [punt](/source/Punt_(gridiron_football)). He missed one game after suffering a collision against the [Washington Redskins](/source/Washington_Redskins). He was the backup [placekicker](/source/Placekicker) and made an [extra point](/source/Conversion_(gridiron_football)) in his only attempt. On October 30, [1974](/source/1974_NFL_season), he was released because of poor performances and replaced with [Duane Carrell](/source/Duane_Carrell).[5] ### Buffalo Bills On November 13, [1974](/source/1974_NFL_season), the [Buffalo Bills](/source/Buffalo_Bills) signed him as a [free agent](/source/Free_agent) to replace [Spike Jones](/source/Spike_Jones_(American_football)).[6] He led the [NFL](/source/National_Football_League) two years in a row in net yards [per punt](/source/Punt_(gridiron_football)). In [1976](/source/1976_NFL_season), he led the NFL in punting average (42.8 yards), but his net average was only 28.7 yards, although he had a 78-yard punt, which still stands as the longest [punt](/source/Punt_(gridiron_football)) in team history. On August 24, [1978](/source/1978_NFL_season), he was released after walking out of camp because of a contract dispute. ### San Francisco 49ers On May 3, [1979](/source/1979_NFL_season), he signed with the [San Francisco 49ers](/source/San_Francisco_49ers).[7] He was released on August 14.[8] ### St. Louis Cardinals On July 16, [1980](/source/1980_NFL_season), he signed with the [St. Louis Cardinals](/source/St._Louis_Cardinals_(NFL)).[9] He was released on August 26.[10] ## NFL career statistics Legend Led the league Bold Career high ### Regular season Year Team Punting GP Punts Yds Net Yds Lng Avg Net Avg Blk Ins20 TB 1972 DAL 14 51 1,949 1,848 61 38.2 36.2 0 - 3 1973 DAL 13 55 2,290 2,003 62 41.6 35.1 2 - 7 1974 DAL 7 33 1,218 1,030 55 36.9 31.2 0 - 4 BUF 5 34 1,494 1,210 66 43.9 35.6 0 - 6 1975 BUF 14 61 2,536 2,137 74 41.6 33.9 2 - 11 1976 BUF 14 86 3,678 2,520 78 42.8 29.0 1 16 14 1977 BUF 14 81 3,229 2,425 75 39.9 29.2 2 14 10 Career 81 401 16,394 13,173 78 40.9 32.3 7 30 55 ### Playoffs Year Team Punting GP Punts Yds Net Yds Lng Avg Net Avg Blk Ins20 TB 1972 DAL 2 12 515 - 59 42.9 - 0 - 0 1973 DAL 2 11 485 - 55 44.1 - 0 - 0 1974 BUF 1 5 197 - 47 39.4 - 0 - 0 Career 5 28 1,197 - 59 42.8 - 0 - 0 ## References 1. ["Crimson Club Hall Of Fame Inducts Six On April 12"](http://www.utahutes.com/sports/2016/6/10/genrel-040204aaa-html.aspx). Retrieved April 30, 2020. 1. ["Utah Sports Hall Of Fame"](https://www.utahsportshalloffame.org/fall-banquet/). Retrieved April 30, 2020. 1. ["Crimson Club Hall Of Fame Inducts Six On April 12"](https://www.utahsportshalloffame.org/fall-banquet/). Retrieved April 30, 2020. 1. ["Cowboys Trade Widby"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gWAdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6VoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4941,824463&dq=marv-bateman+cowboys+rookie&hl=en). Retrieved April 30, 2020. 1. ["Bateman Gets Boot; Cowboys Sign Shark"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MfddAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WV8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=5781,6202293&dq=marv-bateman+cowboys&hl=en). Retrieved April 30, 2020. 1. ["Punter Waived"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1928&dat=19741114&id=0JMgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tGcFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3449,2715895). Retrieved April 30, 2020. 1. ["Transactions"](https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/482561925/). May 4, 1979. Retrieved April 30, 2020. 1. ["Sproul, Mortensen waived"](https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/119956539/). August 15, 1979. Retrieved April 30, 2020. 1. ["Cards Get Sinnott"](https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/456350319/). July 17, 1980. Retrieved April 30, 2020. 1. ["Transactions"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19800827&id=gZYyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VucFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5609,6311062). Retrieved April 30, 2020. ## External links - [Discipline punted Bateman to Top](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l-RNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GoQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7206,6684285&dq=marv-bateman+cowboys&hl=en) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Marv Bateman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marv_Bateman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marv_Bateman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.