Sheet deceleration apparatus and methods for decelerating a sheet of material for use in a sheet stacking or other application. The deceleration apparatus includes a rotatable cam nip, rotatable about a first axis and provided on one side of the travel path, such that the sheet of material can pass by the cam nip. The cam nip includes a lobe end, such that when the lobe end is away from the travel path, the sheet of material can pass substantially unimpeded past the cam nip, and when the lobe end is near the travel path, the sheet of material is nipped by the cam nip decelerating the sheet of material from the first speed to a second speed.