Johnny Hekker: Man of many talents

CHARLOTTE — The Panthers went into the offseason needing a punter.

They quickly moved to sign the punter of the last generation, and a guy who can add a little sizzle to their special teams.

By signing veteran Johnny Hekker to a three-year deal, the Panthers stabilized the position after using three different players there in 2021. They also added gravity to the job, since Hekker was named the league’s All-Decade punter of the 2010s for his consistent excellent work with the Rams.

With a career average of 46.7 yards per punt, and the longest punt in Super Bowl history, there’s plenty to be said about his talent.

But enough about his leg. Let’s talk about Hekker’s arm.

“Oh, he’s got a great arm,” said longtime Bothell High School coach Tom Bainter, who coached when Hekker led the Seattle-area school to a state final. “He was an incredible athlete anyway, a three-sport guy here. But he was an exceptional quarterback.”

Hekker didn’t start under center for the Cougars until his senior year, but kicked and punted while waiting for his turn to take over. He was good enough to get a late offer from Utah State to play quarterback, but realized over the course of his high school career that punting was his likeliest path to a football future.

“When I was looking at colleges and sent out a highlight tape, my high school coach made me put some punts at the end,” Hekker said. “I got a call back from Oregon State special teams coach, and he said your best chance of earning a scholarship will be as a punter. We have a scholarship open for whoever earns that job. So I put all my eggs in that basket to go be a punter.”

Bainter recalled those conversations with then-Oregon State assistant Dave Ungerer, who saw the potential in the 6-foot-5 Hekker.

“They just kept talking about his athleticism, and how long and tall he was at the time,” Bainter recalled. “And I remember Dave saying, ‘This is the kind of kid who could play in the NFL for 10 or 12 years.'”