Tag: Johnny Hekker

Panthers P Johnny Hekker jokes about team’s signings of red-headed free agents

Does Panthers GM Scott Fitterer have a thing for redheads? Johnny Hekker has presented an interesting case.

Will Levis may have the inside track to be the No. 1 overall selection of the 2023 NFL draft.

On Friday afternoon, Carolina Panthers punter Johnny Hekker shared an interesting observation—one that may give us a sneak peek into general manager Scott Fitterer’s, um, preferences. He believes, based off the recent free-agent additions of quarterback Andy Dalton and tight end Hayden Hurst, that Fitterer may have a thing for redheads.

Hmmm . . . we’re not sure if the Panthers can really afford to get Shaun White, Ed Sheeran and Prince Harry on the books. But given Carolina’s aggressive push towards relevancy this offseason, perhaps a three-time Olympic gold medalist, a four-time Grammy Award winner and the Duke of Sussex would help get a few more eyes on the organization.

As for the guys they’re actually allowed to give contracts to, the signings of Dalton and Hurst have received a decent amount of approval from Panthers fans. Plus, the offense was very much in need of a veteran passer and a pass-catching tight end—no matter the hair color.

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Panthers restructure contract of P Johnny Hekker

The Panthers announced they’ve restructured the contract of P Johnny Hekker.

The Carolina Panthers are still looking for loose change.

As announced by the team on Wednesday, just minutes after the official start of the new league year, the contract of punter Johnny Hekker has been restructured. The move will clear up approximately $800,000 in additional salary cap space this offseason.

Hekker joined the Panthers last spring—on a three-year, $7.62 million agreement. And the first season of that deal went awfully well—as the 33-year-old booted a league-leading and franchise record 39 punts inside the 20-yard line while averaging the third-most net yards per attempt (44.1).

Unfortunately for the four-time First-team All-Pro, two-time Second-team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler—he did not add another all-star nod to his decorated résumé. He was, however, named to the 2022 Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) All-NFC team and—along with long snapper and fellow special teamer JJ Jansen—finished second amongst all punters in the first-ever Players’ All-Pro Team balloting.

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Panthers G Austin Corbett joins Johnny Hekker in recruitment of Robert Woods

Not only did Panthers G Austin Corbett join teammate Johnny Hekker in the wooing of WR Robert Woods, but he did so by tugging at the ol’ heartstrings.

Austin Corbett didn’t spend as much time as a teammate to Robert Woods as Johnny Hekker did. Nonetheless, his recruiting pitch on Wednesday was a bit more heartfelt.

Upon being released by the Tennessee Titans this afternoon, Woods almost immediately took to Twitter to celebrate and to ask a pretty good question.

As we touched upon earlier, Woods’ former Los Angeles Rams teammate and current Carolina Panthers punter Johnny Hekker made his case to the 30-year-old wide receiver . . .

Then, just about an hour later, Corbett—another former Ram—came in with some beautiful memories for Woods to think about . . .

Those memories included a trip to Super Bowl LVI one season ago—when Corbett, Hekker and Woods got to put hands on the Lombardi Trophy after a 23-20 triumph over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Corbett, prior to the chip, arrived to Hollywood just in time to see one of Woods’ best career campaigns. That was in 2019, when the Gardena, Calif. native reeled in 90 balls for 1,134 yards and a pair of scores.

So Corbett knows, after two and a half years on the same unit, what Woods can do.

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Panthers P Johnny Hekker trying to recruit former teammate Robert Woods

Free agent WR Robert Woods asked Twitter where he should play next, and Panthers P Johnny Hekker had an answer.

Carolina Panthers punter Johnny Hekker is set for a few reunions in 2023—perhaps most notably with new coordinators Thomas Brown and Ejiro Evero. And now, he’s trying to strike up another.

On Wednesday, the Tennessee Titans made some use of the chopping block—releasing, among others, wide receiver Robert Woods. The freshly squeezed 10-year veteran then promptly took to Twitter to ask where he should spend his 11th campaign—to which Hekker replied:

Hekker and Woods were teammates for five seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. They were both a part of the organization’s two NFC champion squads from 2018 and 2021—with the latter, of course, having gone on to win Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The 30-year-old Woods reeled in a career-low 527 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns for Tennessee in 2022. But if the Panthers are in the market for a reliable target who also happens to know the team’s new offensive play caller, then Woods may actually be an intriguing fit.

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Panthers’ Johnny Hekker, JJ Jansen make top 3 of Players’ All-Pro Team

Panthers P Johnny Hekker and LS JJ Jansen both finished second at their respective positions for the Players’ All-Pro Team voting.

2022 was one heck of a year for the Carolina Panthers’ special teams unit.

On Thursday, the NFL Players Association rolled out their first-ever Players’ All-Pro Team. The NFLPA had players across the league cast their votes for who they thought were the most impactful of their peers from this past season.

Now, unfortunately for the Panthers, they were not represented on the 1st Team. But they did have two guys that came awfully close—with punter Johnny Hekker and long snapper JJ Jansen finishing second at their respective positions.

Hekker had a record-breaker of a 2022 in his first campaign for Carolina. He landed 39 of his attempts inside the 20-yard line—which not only led the league, but set a new franchise mark—while averaging the third-most net yards per try (44.1).

Jansen set a pretty cool record of his own. He, with his Week 14 appearance in Seattle, recorded his 222nd game as a Panther—surpassing former kicker John Kasay for the team’s all-time tally.

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Panthers’ Brian Burns, Johnny Hekker selected to 2022 PFWA All-NFC team

Panthers DE Brian Burns and P Johnny Hekker have been named to the 2022 PFWA All-NFC team.

On Monday afternoon, the Pro Football Writers of America rolled out the selections for their All-NFL team and all-conference teams for the 2022 season. And even though the Carolina Panthers were not represented in the former set of nods, they at least got some recognition within the NFC—thanks to defensive end Brian Burns and punter Johnny Hekker.

Burns turned in a career year—amassing highs in sacks (12.5), combined tackles (63), tackles for a loss (17) and quarterback hits (22). He also registered 68 pressures on the campaign according to Pro Football Focus, which ranked as the 12th-highest total in the NFL.

The 24-year-old has now recorded at least 9.0 sacks in each of the past three seasons, bringing his career total up to 38.0. Burns’ work, additionally, earned him his second straight Pro Bowl start—or whatever that means for this year’s reconfiguring of the all-star festivities.

Hekker, in his first year with the organization, introduced himself to Carolina rather well. His 39 punts inside the 20-yard line not only led the entire league, but also broke the previous franchise record of 35 set by Todd Sauerbrun in 2001.

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Studs and duds from Panthers’ Week 18 win over Saints

Thanks to Michael Jordan, the Panthers became just the third team in the last 23 years to win a game in which an offensive lineman scored their only touchdown.

A 10-7 result in 2023 doesn’t come without some good and some ugly.

Here are the studs and duds for the Carolina Panthers’ in their Week 18 win over the New Orleans Saints.

Panthers’ Johnny Hekker leads all punters after 1st round of 2023 Pro Bowl voting

Through the first round of voting for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, Panthers P Johnny Hekker sits atop his position.

In what’s been a largely tumultuous 2022 season, the Carolina Panthers have at least had a few sure things. And one of those things is punter Johnny Hekker.

On Monday, the NFL wrapped up the first round of voting for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games and revealed its leaders for the all-star event. Sitting atop all punters, in both the AFC and NFC, is Hekker—at 40,669 votes.

The 11th-year veteran is having himself a rock-solid debut campaign in Carolina. He currently ranks first in net yards (2,689) and first in punts landed inside the 20-yard line (29). (Oh, and he’s broken out the trickery he’s become rather popular for, completing his lone pass attempt for a 2-yard gain.)

Hekker is no stranger to recognition, as he’s already been voted to four Pro Bowls. He’s also a four-time First-team All-Pro, a two-time Second-team All-Pro and a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.

And he may be joined by a teammate or two come February, as defensive end Brian Burns is currently the NFC’s second-leading vote getter at his position.

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Studs and duds from Panthers’ Week 6 loss to Rams

On Sunday, Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey accounted for 74.5 percent of his offense’s yards from scrimmage—the second-highest share of the past two decades.

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A change at head coach and a different starting quarterback wasn’t enough to spark an immediate change for the Carolina Panthers—as they lost, 24-10, to the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.

Here are our studs and duds from Sunday’s Week 6 defeat.

Studs and duds from Panthers’ Week 4 loss to Cardinals

The Panthers were far from saving in their Week 4 loss to the Cardinals. But at least Spider-Man showed up.

Who stood out (in the right and wrong ways) throughout Sunday’s loss for the Carolina Panthers?

Let’s take a look at the studs and duds from Week 4.