Brooks Barnard Brooks Alexander Barnard ( born November 4 , 1979 ) is an American football punter . He played professional football for the New England Patriots in the National Football League ( NFL ) and for the Rhein Fire in the NFL Europe . He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins at the University of Maryland . Early life . Brooks Barnard was born to parents John and Karen Barnard on November 4 , 1979 in Arnold , Maryland . Former Baltimore Orioles third baseman Brooks Robinson was his namesake . Barnard attended Broadneck High School where he was a four - year letterwinner on the football team and set every school record for both kicking and punting . He recorded 18 field goals during his high school career . As a senior in 1997 , he averaged 42 . 4 yards per punt and made 96 of 99 extra point attempts . Barnard received all - state honors during his junior and senior seasons . He was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes . College career . Barnard attended the University of Oklahoma for the fall semester of 1998 , but then transferred to the University of Maryland , College Park , where he majored in kinesiology . He walked onto the football team and entered the 1999 season as the back - up punter and as a holder . He saw action in eight games including seven starts . Barnard recorded 39 punts for 1 , 687 yards including ten inside the opponents ' 20 - yard line and 11 of 50 yards or longer . He averaged 43 . 3 yards per punt , which was a school best since 1993 , all - time third - best , and all - time best for a freshman player . After his first game action against Georgia Tech , he won the starting position for the Wake Forest game . " The Sporting News " named him a third - team freshman All - American . In , he started in all 11 games . He set a school record of 44 . 7 yards per punt , which surpassed Scott Milanovich ' s 43 . 8 - yard average in 1993 . He compiled 13 punts of 50 yards or longer , including a career - long 85 - yarder against , and 71 - , 67 - , 67 - , 66 - , 63 - , and 61 - yard punts , and eight inside the opponents ' 20 - yard line . In mid - October , he was the second - ranked punter in the nation , with an average of 46 . 0 yards per punt . He was included on the watch list for the Ray Guy Award for college football ' s most outstanding punter . Barnard was named an honorable mention All - ACC player and " College Football News " honorable mention All - American . He started all 12 games in 2001 . Barnard was the seventh - ranked punter in that nation with an average of 44 . 5 yards per punt . Against North Carolina , he punted eight times for an average of 50 . 4 yards , with seven of eight going for more than 50 yards , and was named the ACC Specialist of the Week . Against Georgia Tech , he correctly brought down a high snap for the game - tying field goal that allowed a Maryland overtime victory . He was named a " College Football News " second - team All - American , a first - team All - ACC , and Academic All - ACC player . Barnard was also a Ray Guy Award semifinalist . In 2002 , he recorded 55 punts for 2 , 373 yards , five touchbacks , 13 inside the opponents ' 20 - yard line , and a long of 60 yards . Barnard finished his time at Maryland as the school career - leader in punting average . He was named to a first - team All - ACC , Academic All - ACC team , an honorable mention ECAC All - Star player . He participated in the 2003 Senior Bowl as both a punter and kicker . Professional career . In 2003 , Barnard was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bears on April 29 and then released on August 25 . He was then signed as a free agent by the New England Patriots , and during the 2003 season , played in one game and kicked ten punts for 365 yards , including one touchback and four inside the opponents ' 20 - yard line . He was released by the Patriots in December . On December 16 , 2003 , the Bears claimed Barnard from the Patriots ' waiver and extended his contract on December 30 . The Bears released him on September 2004 . In 2004 , Chicago allocated him to the Rhein Fire of the NFL Europe . In 2005 , he was signed by the Green Bay Packers on January 19 , and waived on July 19 , 2005 .