Quinn, Hekker Mixing Business With Pleasure At Pro Bowl

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Even in paradise, Rams defensive end Robert Quinn intends to play hard in Sunday's Pro Bowl game.

"I don't want to put any bad film on tape _ with bad plays," Quinn said by phone Saturday from Hawaii. "So I'll see what I can do."

There are other incentives as well.

"This year, they're giving out a defensive MVP, and that guy gets a car," Quinn said. "So if you win the game and get the defensive MVP, you come home with a little bigger check and a brand new car."

Then he added with a chuckle, "I think that's a win-win situation."

Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. (St. Louis time) at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The format has been changed radically this season. Gone is the AFC vs. NFC setup. Instead, Hall of Famers Deion Sanders and Jerry Rice each picked a team with the help of a couple of team captains and a fantasy league champion.

As one of the Team Rice captains along with New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, Quinn helped picked his squad. He enjoyed the process, but not enough to make him want to become a general manager once his playing days are over.

"No, I don't think that's on my bucket list," Quinn said.

Quinn made sure to take care of the other Rams player participating in Sunday's game, punter Johnny Hekker, by drafting him for Team Rice. A little lobbying in the lobby by Hekker didn't hurt either.

"We had some talks going in," Hekker said by phone Saturday. "I had a talk with Rob, and I had a talk with Jerry (Rice) in the lobby of the hotel and kind of pleaded my case to him why I should be his guy. He said he'd get me and he's a man of his word, so I'm happy about it.

"We've got a Rams cheerleader Aimee (Scheuneman) on our team so we're just keeping it all in house and just trying to rock out for the orange team," Hekker said.

(A cheerleader from each NFL team earns an invitation to cheer at the game.)

Practices are light for the Pro Bowl, about 45 minutes to an hour _ and they didn't start until Thursday. There are team meetings, too, but nothing very taxing.

"It's not like you're installing a whole new playbook," Quinn said. "It's just a few plays here and there, and that's it."

There are a few events the players must attend, and they've signed more than their share of autographs. But there's plenty of free time for some R&R.

"It's definitely a fun experience," said Quinn, who arrived Monday and brought his family. "To be named to the Pro Bowl is an honor, and me being named a captain, that's an even bigger honor."

It's been that kind of a season for Quinn, who led the NFC in sacks with 19, and was the named the NFL's defensive player of the year by the Pro Football Writers of America. Since then, and prior to arriving in Hawaii, Quinn has been on a media blitz of sorts, appearing all over the place on national television and radio sports talk shows.

"The tour's not done yet," Quinn said. "I've still got a few more weeks of traveling."

As one of the leading contenders for The Associated Press defensive player of the year award, he will be in New York over Super Bowl weekend. If he gets the award, it will be presented on the NFL's nationally televised honors show next Saturday.

Although he hasn't had any Quinn-like hoopla, it's been a wild ride for Hekker as well. Less than two years ago, he joined the Rams as an undrafted rookie just trying to make the team. Now he's at the Pro Bowl, proud possessor of the NFL's all-time record for net punting in a season with a 44.2-yard average in 2013.

"The week overall has just been incredible, and pretty non-stop, kind of one thing coming up after another," Hekker said. "It's just been incredible to be out here and be playing with all of these guys."

Hekker said he never could have imagined making the Pro Bowl in his second year in the league, much less being part of a team that set the net punting record.

"I'm really just a product of the system," Hekker said. "Obviously Coach (Jeff) Fisher and Les Snead did an amazing job of getting Coach (John) Fassel on the as the special teams coach. I've talked to other players about special teams and what-not, and kind of pick their brains, and there's a lot of respect around the league for that guy.

"I tip my hat to my teammates as well. They're 99 percent of the reason why I'm here. I just kick the ball and pray they go down there and stay fast, athletic, and crazy."

Hekker headed out to the North Shore on Tuesday, where the big waves are, and piddled around in the water. Nothing major.

Quinn isn't getting anywhere need a surfboard or the big waves.

"They have crazy waves," Quinn said. "Real professionals, or experts in surfing, have tough times so I'm not gonna try to get out there and mess myself up, you know."

Not if he wants to win a new car Sunday night.