Former Georgia All-American wins Vikings punter battle over Johnny Hekker

With the Minnesota Vikings preparing for the 2026 NFL season, which is right around the corner, one positional battle has been decided on the team. While one Vikings battle was at quarterback between J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray, which was won by the latter, the competition at punter has also been decided due to the team’s latest cut.

According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Minnesota is waiving veteran punter Johnny Hekker, instead going with rookie Brett Thorson, who is from Australia and won the Ray Guy Award when with the University of Georgia.

“The Vikings are releasing veteran punter Johnny Hekker, per source,” Pelissero wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Rookie Brett Thorson, the Australia native and reigning Ray Guy Award winner at Georgia, will be Minnesota’s punter.”

Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell on Johnny Hekker, Brett Thorson

With the two Vikings punters in battle throughout the offseason, the team ultimately went with Thorson, who came out of college one of the best punters in the nation, as some could make the argument he was the best, with a Ray Guy Award to prove it.

Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell spoke after the team’s 34-6 loss in the preseason finale to the Denver Broncos about the punters and how Hekker took Thorson “under his wing.”

“I think it’s body of work. Obviously, the games are important, but we’ve got a bunch of kicks logged, and we’ll take a look at it. You know, as well as the role of holding,” O’Connell said on Friday.

“And we’re gonna have to make a decision there. Both guys have really, I think, really battled it out the right way,” O’Connell continued. “It’s been awesome to see Johnny, you know, really kind of take Thor [Thorson] under his wing and just show that unbelievable leader and presence that Johnny’s always been in the National Football League, but it’s going to be a tough decision for sure.”

Kevin O'Connell on what he's seen from the Vikings' punters pic.twitter.com/8WHxsf9otE

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 29, 2026

At any rate, it remains to be seen how Thorson plays this season with the Vikings, as Week 1 will take place on Sept. 13 when Minnesota takes on the Green Bay Packers.

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