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Vikings news: Minnesota brings back four-time Pro Bowler after punter injury
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- Vikings news: Minnesota brings back four-time Pro Bowler after punter injury
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Johnny Hekker 's time away from the Minnesota Vikings didn't last very long.
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The Vikings are bringing back the four-time Pro Bowl punter after Brett Thorson suffered a hamstring injury, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Thorson is expected to miss time, opening the door for Hekker to return for his 15th NFL season.
It's a familiar face for Minnesota.
Hekker originally signed a one-year contract with the Vikings in March and competed with Thorson for the punting job throughout training camp. Minnesota ultimately went with the younger option, cutting Hekker before the beginning of the regular season.
Less than a month later, the Vikings need him again. The team did work out multiple punters before deciding on Hekker.
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Hekker never appeared in a regular-season game for Minnesota, but there aren't many available punters with a better résumé.
The 36-year-old spent his first 10 seasons with the Rams before playing three years with the Carolina Panthers and spending the 2025 campaign with the Tennessee Titans . He's a four-time Pro Bowler, four-time First-Team All-Pro, two-time Second-Team All-Pro, and a Super Bowl champion. Hekker was also named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s after establishing himself as arguably the premier punter of his generation.
And apparently, he still has something left in the tank. Hekker appeared in all 17 games for Tennessee last season, averaging 46.8 yards per punt while placing 22 attempts inside the 20-yard line.
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Minnesota knows exactly what it's getting. Thorson's injury is unfortunate after the Vikings trusted him enough to move on from Hekker following training camp. But having one of the most accomplished punters in NFL history available as an emergency replacement isn't a bad backup plan.
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Now Hekker finally has an opportunity to punt for Minnesota when the games actually count.
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