Björn Arne Nittmo (born July 26, 1966) is a former Swedish born American footballplacekicker, being the only Swedish-born player ever to complete as much as a full season in the National Football League (NFL).
Nittmo was the first Swedish-born player to play a full season in the NFL, when he played for the New York Giants in 1989.[3] He also tried to make the Kansas City Chiefs' roster the following year, but was cut, then the following year was hired by the Buffalo Bills as a potential replacement for Scott Norwood after his infamous wide-right kick in Super Bowl XXV (the Bills nonetheless decided to keep Norwood for one more season instead).
Nittmo appeared on Late Night with David Letterman a few times during his stint with the New York Giants. Letterman seemed to be obsessed with the kicker's name and even coined a new catchphrase to both celebrate and mock him; "Who do you think you are, Bjorn Nittmo?"[5] Nittmo's celebrity continued when, in 1999, he appeared as the kicker in the football movie Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday.[6] Nittmo later starred in a 2015 mini-documentary, NITTMO, about his life, to inspire the Swedish youth to follow their dreams and study abroad.[7]
Personal lifeedit
Nittmo has been estranged from his ex-wife, Mary Lois Nittmo, and his four children (three daughters and a son), for over a decade. He suffered severe brain damage from a hit he sustained in a 1997 preseason contest. Such was the extent of the damage from that, and other hits sustained on kickoffs, that his ex-wife banned football within the family household, refusing to watch any games on television or let his son play the game.[8] In 2017, as part of a meeting arranged by The Buffalo News, Mary Lois went to Björn's home in Arizona, where he explained his absence and behavior; he stated that he mainly lives alone and is self-employed for his children's safety, that the short-term memory loss has been a hindrance to his employability, and that attempts to treat his condition have so far not succeeded.[9] In April 2017, ESPN's SC Featured anthology recounted Nittmo's story.[10]
Referencesedit
^Jacobson, Steve (November 21, 1989). "GIANTS' SWEDISH KICKER HAS A BALL, BUT NOT A WORRY". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
^Willis, George (January 7, 1990). "Giants Seek to Eliminate Costly Errors". Los Angeles Times.
^"Final cuts today". CFL.ca. June 18, 2005. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
^"New Catch Phrases Collection on Letterman, 1984-91". youtube.com. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
^"Any Given Sunday (1999) - Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
^"NFL Legend Bjorn Nittmo Kicks US Study In To the Path of Swedish Students". lbbonline.com. 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
^Graham, Tim (September 1, 2016). "Who do you think you are? Bjorn Nittmo?". The Buffalo News.
^Graham, Tim (January 27, 2017). "Finding Nittmo: Answers, finally, from the NFL kicker who disappeared". The Buffalo News.
^Hall, Andy (April 21, 2017). "SC Featured looks for elusive former NFL placekicker". espnfrontrow.com. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
Further readingedit
"Finding Nittmo". ESPN. April 23, 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved April 24, 2017 – via YouTube. He was once the must unlikely media star of the late 80's... a left footed Swedish kicker for the NY Giants who even appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman. How could he ever have known that years of kicking a football in America would bring him love and family and fame... and then take it all away.
"NITTMO". US Embassy Sweden & Fulbright Sweden. August 4, 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved April 24, 2017 – via YouTube. This is the story about the unsung hero Bjorn Nittmo – a forgotten Swedish sports star and former NFL kicker who crossed the Atlantic for high school studies and to chase his dreams. And now he wants to encourage the youth of Sweden to walk the same path.
björn, nittmo, björn, arne, nittmo, born, july, 1966, former, swedish, born, american, football, placekicker, being, only, swedish, born, player, ever, complete, much, full, season, national, football, league, 5position, kickerpersonal, informationborn, 1966, . Bjorn Arne Nittmo born July 26 1966 is a former Swedish born American football placekicker being the only Swedish born player ever to complete as much as a full season in the National Football League NFL Bjorn NittmoNo 3 5Position KickerPersonal informationBorn 1966 07 26 July 26 1966 age 57 Lomma SwedenCareer informationHigh school Enterprise AL College Appalachian StateUndrafted 1989Career historyNew York Giants 1989 Kansas City Chiefs 1990 Montreal Machine 1991 Buffalo Bills 1991 Cleveland Thunderbolts 1993 Shreveport Pirates 1994 1995 Kansas City Chiefs 1996 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1997 Tampa Bay Storm 1998 Buffalo Destroyers 1999 Arizona Rattlers 2000 Carolina Cobras 2001 Ottawa Renegades 2005 Offseason and or practice squad member onlyCareer highlights and awardsAll World League 1991 Career NFL statisticsCareer Arena statisticsFG Made 60FG Att 162PAT Made 273PAT Att 298Tackles 17Player stats at NFL com ArenaFan com Contents 1 Football career 2 In popular culture 3 Personal life 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksFootball career editThe left footed Nittmo famous for his very long kickoffs came to the U S as a foreign exchange student at Enterprise High School in Enterprise Alabama 1 After high school he played college football at Appalachian State University 1985 1988 where he also was the all time leading scorer with 277 points In 2003 he was named to the university s 75th Anniversary Football Team 2 Nittmo was the first Swedish born player to play a full season in the NFL when he played for the New York Giants in 1989 3 He also tried to make the Kansas City Chiefs roster the following year but was cut then the following year was hired by the Buffalo Bills as a potential replacement for Scott Norwood after his infamous wide right kick in Super Bowl XXV the Bills nonetheless decided to keep Norwood for one more season instead Nittmo s career included time with the Montreal Machine of the World League of American Football this league later became NFL Europe the Cleveland Thunderbolts Arizona Rattlers and Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League as well as the Shreveport Pirates of the Canadian Football League In 2005 Nittmo was invited to the Ottawa Renegades training camp but was cut prior to the start of the season 4 In popular culture editNittmo appeared on Late Night with David Letterman a few times during his stint with the New York Giants Letterman seemed to be obsessed with the kicker s name and even coined a new catchphrase to both celebrate and mock him Who do you think you are Bjorn Nittmo 5 Nittmo s celebrity continued when in 1999 he appeared as the kicker in the football movie Oliver Stone s Any Given Sunday 6 Nittmo later starred in a 2015 mini documentary NITTMO about his life to inspire the Swedish youth to follow their dreams and study abroad 7 Personal life editNittmo has been estranged from his ex wife Mary Lois Nittmo and his four children three daughters and a son for over a decade He suffered severe brain damage from a hit he sustained in a 1997 preseason contest Such was the extent of the damage from that and other hits sustained on kickoffs that his ex wife banned football within the family household refusing to watch any games on television or let his son play the game 8 In 2017 as part of a meeting arranged by The Buffalo News Mary Lois went to Bjorn s home in Arizona where he explained his absence and behavior he stated that he mainly lives alone and is self employed for his children s safety that the short term memory loss has been a hindrance to his employability and that attempts to treat his condition have so far not succeeded 9 In April 2017 ESPN s SC Featured anthology recounted Nittmo s story 10 References edit Jacobson Steve November 21 1989 GIANTS SWEDISH KICKER HAS A BALL BUT NOT A WORRY The Washington Post Retrieved April 24 2017 ASU Announces 75th Anniversary Football Team Appalachian State Mountaineers 2003 Willis George January 7 1990 Giants Seek to Eliminate Costly Errors Los Angeles Times Final cuts today CFL ca June 18 2005 Retrieved April 24 2017 New Catch Phrases Collection on Letterman 1984 91 youtube com Retrieved November 4 2023 Any Given Sunday 1999 Full Cast amp Crew IMDb Retrieved April 24 2017 NFL Legend Bjorn Nittmo Kicks US Study In To the Path of Swedish Students lbbonline com 2015 Retrieved April 24 2017 Graham Tim September 1 2016 Who do you think you are Bjorn Nittmo The Buffalo News Graham Tim January 27 2017 Finding Nittmo Answers finally from the NFL kicker who disappeared The Buffalo News Hall Andy April 21 2017 SC Featured looks for elusive former NFL placekicker espnfrontrow com Retrieved April 24 2017 Further reading edit Finding Nittmo ESPN April 23 2017 Archived from the original on 2021 12 21 Retrieved April 24 2017 via YouTube He was once the must unlikely media star of the late 80 s a left footed Swedish kicker for the NY Giants who even appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman How could he ever have known that years of kicking a football in America would bring him love and family and fame and then take it all away NITTMO US Embassy Sweden amp Fulbright Sweden August 4 2015 Archived from the original on 2021 12 21 Retrieved April 24 2017 via YouTube This is the story about the unsung hero Bjorn Nittmo a forgotten Swedish sports star and former NFL kicker who crossed the Atlantic for high school studies and to chase his dreams And now he wants to encourage the youth of Sweden to walk the same path External links editBjorn Nittmo at IMDb AFL stats Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bjorn Nittmo amp oldid 1183464150, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
