John Hekker

Early life

Hekker was born in Redmond, Washington. He attended Bothell High School in Bothell, Washington, and graduated in 2008. He was the starting quarterback and punter of the Cougars football team during his senior year, leading them to a State Championship game, which they lost. He also briefly played basketball for the school in his senior year.

College career

Hekker played for the Oregon State Beavers football team while attending Oregon State University. In 2008, Hekker was named the Sun Bowl Special Teams MVP after averaging 45 yards on 10 punts, including boots of 57 and 52 yards in the fourth quarter of a 3–0 win for the Beavers over the Pitt Panthers. He was a four-year starter and finished his college career as one of Oregon State's most prolific punters. As a Beaver, he set a single-game school record with a 52.5 average (six punts for 315 yards) against the Utah Utes in 2011.

Hekker ranked third-best in career-punt yardage in school history with a solid 41.3 yards average per punt. In 2011, he earned College Football Performance Award Punter of the Week and was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List – given annually to the nation's best punter. In 2009, he was semi-finalist for the Ray Guy Award and the Phil Steele All-Pac-10 Second-team. As a senior, Hekker recorded a total of 52 career punts over 50 yards, including 17 when he had six different games with at least one punt of 60+ yards.

Hekker earned Pac-12 Conference Honorable Mention with 87 career punts downed inside the 20-yard line in 2011. He also had at least one punt of 50+ yards in every game but one in 2010.

Hekker had several memorable kicks as a Beaver. One was the second-longest punt in school history. The punt went for 74 yards in 2010 against USC. Another was a negative-yardage punt when he shanked the ball for a loss of 4 yards.

For three years, Hekker also worked as the holder on placekicks.

Professional career

St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams

In 2012, Hekker was signed as an undrafted free agent with the St. Louis Rams.

During Week 2, Hekker was nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week after recording three punts for 163 yards and a 54.33 net punt average, with the longest punt being 66 yards. Two weeks later against the Seattle Seahawks, Hekker threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Danny Amendola on a fake field goal. He became the first Rams punter to throw a touchdown pass since the AFL-NFL merger.

During Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, Hekker set a Rams franchise record with a gross punting average of 56.9 in one game, beating the old mark of 56.0 set by Donnie Jones on three other occasions. Hekker recorded seven punts for 398 yards in the game, placing three of his punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. He had two punts of 60 plus yards. In doing so, he stopped Patrick Peterson from returning a punt for a touchdown against St. Louis, as he did in both rivalry games last season. Hekker was again nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week.

During Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers, Hekker converted on two fake punt passes for 40 yards, while having four punts with a 31-yard average and placing one of them inside the opponent's 20-yard line in a 24–24 tie. The first of the two passes was an audible called by Hekker himself after gunner Rodney McLeod was left uncovered. Hekker was again nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week.

Hekker finished his rookie season with 82 punts for 3,756 net yards for a 45.8 average.

On December 29, 2013, Hekker officially broke the single season record for net punt yards (44.2), previously held by Andy Lee (44) in 2006 for the San Francisco 49ers. Hekker finished his second professional season with 78 punts for 3,609 net yards for a 46.27 average. He earned Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro honors.

On October 19, 2014, Hekker threw a pass to running back Benny Cunningham on a fake punt with 1:14 left in a game against the Seahawks.

Carolina Panthers

On March 18, 2022, Hekker signed a three-year, $7.6 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. He had 81 punts for 3,925 total yards for a 48.46 average in the 2022 season. In the 2023 season, he had 82 punts for 3,838 total yards for a 46.80 average. In the 2024 season, he had 73 punts for 3,338 total yards for a 45.73 average.

Tennessee Titans

On March 13, 2025, Hekker signed a one-year, $1.42 million contract with the Tennessee Titans. He had 78 punts for 3,653 yards for a 46.8 average in the 2025 season.

Minnesota Vikings

On March 17, 2026, Hekker signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings. On August 30, he was released by the Vikings as part of the final roster cuts.

NFL career statistics

Career highlights

Awards and honors

NFL

Super Bowl champion (LVI)

4× First-team All-Pro (2013, 2015–2017)

2× Second-team All-Pro (2014, 2018)

4× Pro Bowl (2013, 2015–2017)

2× NFL punting yards leader (2015, 2016)

NFL 2010s All-Decade Team

4× NFC Special Teams Player of the Month (2015 – October; 2016 – December; 2020 – October)

4× NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (2012 – Week 5, Week 14; 2016 – Week 4; 2016 – Week 10; 2019 – Week 17; 2020 – Week 7)

NFL records

Highest net average punting yards in a season: 46.0 (2016)

Longest punt in a Super Bowl: 65 yards (LIII)

Most punts inside the 20 in a season: 51

Media appearances

Hekker was the main athlete featured in a 2013 Dude Perfect YouTube video titled "NFL Kicking Edition | Dude Perfect" along with Rams teammates Greg Zuerlein and Jake McQuaide.

In 2018 Hekker appeared on the Netflix cooking show Nailed It as a guest judge for season 2 episode 3, titled "Tailgate, Failgate." During his introduction, he apologized that the show had to settle for a punter as a special guest for the football-themed episode.

Personal life

Hekker is a Christian. He and his wife, Makayla, have three children together.