Mortell a Challenger
When he arrived for the Green Bay Packers’ rookie minicamp, Peter Mortell was the ultimate feel-good story.
Mortell, an undrafted rookie punter from Minnesota, played at Green Bay Notre Dame High School, which is located just up Ridge Road from Lambeau Field. Moreover, his family has deep ties to the organization. Mortell’s grandfather, Jerry Mortell Jr., operated the game clock at the stadium for more than 30 years until handing those duties off to his son and Mortell’s father, Jerry Mortell III. While in high school, Mortell worked in the Lambeau Field press box. He had handed stats to many of the reporters who were asking him questions.
Stories are great. Production is better. Mortell graduated to the latter after an excellent performance in Friday’s victory over Cleveland.
“That’s what I want. I don’t want to be looked at as a story. I want to be looked at as an NFL punter, whether that’s here or somewhere else,” Mortell said after the game. “There’s no sentiment in the NFL. I don’t think the Packers brought me here because I’m a story. They believe that I can fight for a job. I appreciate that people are starting to take note of that. ‘He’s a punter and not just a local kid.’”
After an up-and-down training camp in which it appeared he’d fallen well behind veteran Tim Masthay, Mortell punted three times vs. Cleveland. His second one was a boomer that traveled 62 yards. The second pinned the Browns at their 4-yard line and led to a safety.
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