Johnny Hekker: "Humbled for the opportunity to come back"

[Ramstien]

The article about Heecker on the official site. For those that may not know it, he is currently the longest tendered Ram.

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Johnny Hekker: "Humbled for the opportunity to come back"​

Johnny Hekker: "Humbled for the opportunity to come back"

With his situation now settled, punter Johnny Hekker is glad to remain with the Rams.

www.therams.com

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The final week of the 2021 preseason marked a difficult time for Rams punter Johnny Hekker.

Already dealing with what he viewed as competition at his position and uncertainty with the direction the Rams would go with it, being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list the morning of its Week 2 preseason game against the Raiders would eventually force him to watch the Rams preseason finale against the Broncos a week later from home while his competitor – Corey Bojorquez, who was activated off the list three days after he and Hekker were placed on it – handled every snap in Denver.

Hekker said Thursday that he had "some conflicted feelings" while watching the game. On the one hand, he was happy for Bojorquez's success; on the other, "I saw, you know, a little bit of writing on the wall that could be the team might go with this guy, and I could be having to find a new home here pretty soon."

Those worries went away Tuesday after the Rams traded Bjorquez to the Packers on Tuesday, keeping Hekker as their punter.

During that time of uncertainty, Hekker said he leaned on his wife, a close friend and a feel-good streaming series to ease his mind.

"I talked to my wife for a good amount, she was there kind of watching the game with me," Hekker said. "I may have turned it off a little early, not going to lie. Watched some Ted Lasso to get my emotions back in check, it's a feel-good show. But then I called a mentor that actually married my wife and I – Chris Herb, a really good friend of mine from Corvallis (Oregon). And we were just able to kind of talk about things, pray with each other and come to a better head space, which meant a lot."

A four-time Associated Press First Team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection, Hekker's solidified situation also maintains his status as the longest-tenured Ram on the roster.

He has played in all 144 possible regular season games through nine seasons since signing with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon State in 2012. He was also voted a team captain for the eighth time in his career on Wednesday.

Entering his 10th season this fall, Hekker will be working with a somewhat new-look special teams unit, with new leadership in special teams coordinator in Joe DeCamillis and assistant special teams coach Dwayne Stukes and working with a new long snapper in Matthew Orzech.

"(DeCamillis and Stukes) are guys that are really going to raise the level and expectations of special teams play this season," Hekker said.

Echoing Bojorquez's comments after the Broncos game, Hekker said he enjoyed working with him and having the opportunity to compete against him. Hekker also said he was praying that he and Bojorquez would have good preseasons, and that they would position themselves to be able to help the Rams and help themselves moving forward.

Ultimately, things worked out that way.

"It's something that I'm definitely very thankful for," Hekker said. "Looking back, I'm humbled for the opportunity to come back, to feel appreciated and wanted back here. It means a lot. Especially with a talented guy like Corey, being able to get him traded to a place where he's going to have a great impact in Green Bay, I wish him nothing but the best. But to be able to come back and be in this locker room with all the guys I've cultivated those friendships with, relationships, it means so much and it's something that I'm not going to take for granted. Every time I come out here on the practice field, I'm just coming out with a renewed sense of purpose to be a good leader, be a good punter and just have a ton of fun doing it."

Likewise, the Rams are glad to have him back.

"I think what Johnny's done here, as I've mentioned long before I got here, is something that doesn't go lost on me, doesn't go lost on us," Rams head coach Sean McVay said after Tuesday's practice. "And I am confident that he's going to be the productive player that he's been throughout the course of his career. I know he's motivated in the right way. And we're excited about him leading the way for us."

 

[Merlin]

The recent Athletic article on Stafford is fantastic as well.

 

[LARams_1963]

The recent Athletic article on Stafford is fantastic as well.

Can you paste it here for us poor folk who can't afford the Athletic?

 

[AZRams]

That is good sh*t...

 

[Memento]

Guys, I disagree with posting the Athletic's articles where anyone can read them without paying. Seriously, people like Jourdan are getting paid for writing for the Athletic, and it doesn't feel right posting these articles.


MODERATOR NOTE:

*ARTICLE REMOVED BY MODERATOR*

 

[den-the-coach]

Can you paste it here for us poor folk who can't afford the Athletic?

I wish we were all that poor.

 

[Tano]

I wish we were all that poor.

Then we would be run by a ... um nevermind

 

[jap]

Inquiring minds would like to know: was all this traing cam & preseason punting competition part of the Leprechaun's grand scheme to regalvanize the NFL's best punter? Hhmmm ...

 

[blackbart]

Guys, I disagree with posting the Athletic's articles where anyone can read them without paying. Seriously, people like Jourdan are getting paid for writing for the Athletic, and it doesn't feel right posting these articles.


MODERATOR NOTE:

*ARTICLE REMOVED BY MODERATOR*

Someone gets paid for every article shared here so now this one is different because Jourdan wrote it?

 

[Memento]

Guys, I disagree with posting the Athletic's articles where anyone can read them without paying. Seriously, people like Jourdan are getting paid for writing for the Athletic, and it doesn't feel right posting these articles.


MODERATOR NOTE:

*ARTICLE REMOVED BY MODERATOR*

Thanks, mods.

Going into it more, as a writer, it would piss me off if someone published my works without permission - and I don't get paid yet (or ever; every cent of the money I make will go to various charities). Imagine someone like Jourdan having her works posted on another site without permission, without the clicks on the Athletic's site.

Posting articles that are in the public eye is fine, but for the Athletic, whose livelihood depends on money they make from subscribers doing clicks, it's something that doesn't feel right quoting - and this is coming from a girl who really can't afford the Athletic.

 

[Corbin]

Guys, I disagree with posting the Athletic's articles where anyone can read them without paying. Seriously, people like Jourdan are getting paid for writing for the Athletic, and it doesn't feel right posting these articles.


MODERATOR NOTE:

*ARTICLE REMOVED BY MODERATOR*

I can assure you they are not losing business.

 

[Memento]

Someone gets paid for every article shared here so now this one is different because Jourdan wrote it?

It's the Athletic's site as a whole, and other sites like that (where you have to have subscriptions in order to see the content). The Athletic has talented writers from all over the spectrum, writers who pen amazing works that they research the absolute hell out of.

The Athletic writers, I must remind you and anyone else who agrees with you on this, get paid for clicks on the Athletic's site. Not here, not on other sports sites, on the Athletic alone, and also from people who purchase subscriptions. You are basically circumventing an opportunity for the Athletic writers who posted this to get paid. That it was Jourdan or whomever doesn't matter.

 

[Memento]

I can assure you they are not losing business.

The Athletic isn't losing business, true, but the writers are. They get paid based on clicks on the Athletic's website.

 

[blackbart]

It's the Athletic's site as a whole, and other sites like that (where you have to have subscriptions in order to see the content). The Athletic has talented writers from all over the spectrum, writers who pen amazing works that they research the absolute hell out of.

The Athletic writers, I must remind you and anyone else who agrees with you on this, get paid for clicks on the Athletic's site. Not here, not on other sports sites, on the Athletic alone, and also from people who purchase subscriptions. You are basically circumventing an opportunity for the Athletic writers who posted this to get paid. That it was Jourdan or whomever doesn't matter.

There have been other Atlantic articles posted here in the past. If it is something ROD management makes policy all of the mods are going to be busy policing it and it will take away from the content here.

 

[Corbin]

The Athletic isn't losing business, true, but the writers are. They get paid based on clicks on the Athletic's website.

As I said, they still aren’t losing anything, not many who already don’t go to a site to read words on a screen will pay for it. It’s illogical, but I guess people do like to blow money so that might be a point.

 

[Memento]

There have been other Atlantic articles posted here in the past. If it is something ROD management makes policy all of the mods are going to be busy policing it and it will take away from the content here.

And the other Athletic articles being posted here are wrong as well. And if it's something made policy, if it takes away content here, so what? This is still, by far, the best Rams site - the best sports site - out there, and having to fork over money to the Athletic is a pittance compared to...say, buying a Direct TV package? There's all the content on all the sports you could ever think about on that site, and it doesn't cost much to pay for it.

As I said, they still aren’t losing anything, not many who already don’t go to a site to read words on a screen will pay for it. It’s illogical, but I guess people do like to blow money so that might be a point.

And as I said, the writers having their works pillaged is something, as a writer, that I can't get behind. These writers work their asses off on content that they care about. These aren't your average sports bloggers; these guys research the absolute hell out of their subjects, get quotes from inside sources that actually share relevant info, and are most certainly a cut above.

Imagine yourself writing a fantastic article that you only get paid for via clicks on the article's site. Now imagine Joe Blows from down the street posting said article on his own website. Wouldn't that be infuriating?

And I'm willing to bet that Jourdan does read this site on occasion; most of the people involved with the Rams do.

 

[Corbin]

And the other Athletic articles being posted here are wrong as well. And if it's something made policy, if it takes away content here, so what? This is still, by far, the best Rams site - the best sports site - out there, and having to fork over money to the Athletic is a pittance compared to...say, buying a Direct TV package? There's all the content on all the sports you could ever think about on that site, and it doesn't cost much to pay for it.

And as I said, the writers having their works pillaged is something, as a writer, that I can't get behind. These writers work their asses off on content that they care about. These aren't your average sports bloggers; these guys research the absolute hell out of their subjects, get quotes from inside sources that actually share relevant info, and are most certainly a cut above.

Imagine yourself writing a fantastic article that you only get paid for via clicks on the article's site. Now imagine Joe Blows from down the street posting said article on his own website. Wouldn't that be infuriating?

And I'm willing to bet that Jourdan does read this site on occasion; most of the people involved with the Rams do.

Meh.... It's the nature of the beast. As a writer I understand you have a connection to it which is fine, but it's writing and on the internet and if somebody purchased the content it's their right to do with it what they see fit.

That's the problem with making sites that have pieces you have to pay for, the whole industry is out of date and most of the time now they are hacks that exaggerate and make things up. If they go the way of the dodo so be it, independent journalism that succeeds with legit and substantiated content is starting to be the trend now.

 

[Memento]

Meh.... It's the nature of the beast. As a writer I understand you have a connection to it which is fine, but it's writing and on the internet and if somebody purchased the content it's their right to do with it what they see fit.

That's the problem with making sites that have pieces you have to pay for, the whole industry is out of date and most of the time now they are hacks that exaggerate and make things up. If they go the way of the dodo so be it, independent journalism that succeeds with legit and substantiated content is starting to be the trend now.

The difference is that the Athletic has you purchase the right to read the content yourself. It doesn't give people the right to disseminate it elsewhere for people who haven't purchased the right to read the content; it costs writers money down the line since they get paid by the article clicks on the site.

And the Athletic are far from hacks. Like I mentioned, they go to great lengths for their journalism, and their integrity for the most part is second-to-none. The Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal was written, researched, and published by one writer working for the Athletic. There's even more examples, but I assure you, the Athletic journalists are not lazy pieces of shit who publish articles that are a waste of time; they care about their craft, and that's one of the reasons why I say that it's not right to publish their hard work for no compensation to them.

 

[Corbin]

The difference is that the Athletic has you purchase the right to read the content yourself. It doesn't give people the right to disseminate it elsewhere for people who haven't purchased the right to read the content; it costs writers money down the line since they get paid by the article clicks on the site.

And the Athletic are far from hacks. Like I mentioned, they go to great lengths for their journalism, and their integrity for the most part is second-to-none. The Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal was written, researched, and published by one writer working for the Athletic. There's even more examples, but I assure you, the Athletic journalists are not lazy pieces of shit who publish articles that are a waste of time; they care about their craft, and that's one of the reasons why I say that it's not right to publish their hard work for no compensation to them.

On a side note I never heard about that so just looked it up and WTF? Someone needs to stomp that dudes ass! He's a serial assaulter and pedo I bet. I've never once heard of a male professional athlete being sexually assualted, and by another male at that.

 

[Faceplant]

As I said, they still aren’t losing anything, not many who already don’t go to a site to read words on a screen will pay for it. It’s illogical, but I guess people do like to blow money so that might be a point.

I subscribe to the Athletic AND I do not consider it blowing money. It's likes $3 a month or something and I get a ton of good coverage of all my teams.

It's another reason why I contribute to this site consistently. I get a good product and the people who own and moderate this board deserve to get some $ kicked back. Speaking of which... Time to donate.