When talking about what impacts football games, there isn't enough of a conversation about how important having a great kicker and punter can put a team in a position to win games that might otherwise be out of reach. Minnesota Vikings fans know this point all too well.
It feels like forever ago now, but the Vikings have endured their fair share of heartbreak on field goals and kickoffs over the years. Thankfully, those woes have mostly been put to rest, but that doesn't mean they won't happen again.
Minnesota has invested heavily in the special teams trio to ensure that area of play goes off as smoothly as possible. Kicker Will Reichard, punter Johnny Hekker, and long snapper Andrew DePaola are likely to be on the field for the purple and gold in Week 1.
Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard and punter Johnny Hekker ranked very well compared to the other specialists in the NFC North.
While Will Reichard doesn't have any imminent competition for training camp, Johnny Hecker will face off against Australian punter Brett Thorson to see who will hold that job for the 2026 NFL season. Still, that didn't stop Last Word on Sports from publishing an article ranking the kicker/punter combinations in the NFC North.
The Vikings kicker, Will Reichard, was ranked as the top kicker in the NFC North. That is astute, because when he's not hitting camera cables, he is one of the best kickers in the league. Here is what the author, Sue Levine, said about "Will the Thrill" in the piece:
"When it comes to stability and reliability in kicking field goals, no one in the NFC North has proven more trustworthy than Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard. Boasting a 94.3% field goal conversion percentage in 2025, he converted 33/35 field goals along with all 31 extra points."
Reichard deserves that top spot. However, Minnesota will have a new punter this season. Levine believes that will be Johnny Hekker, who signed with the Vikings as a free agent this offseason. Here is what was said about the punter ranked No. 2 in the division:
"During his distinguished NFL career, Hekker recorded 1,041 punts for 48,705 yards (46.8%) with a 78-yard punt as his longest, and 400 punts inside 20 yard line. Outpacing the other NFC North punters, he recorded the most punts, the most punting yards, and the most accumulated career stats."
The Minnesota Vikings appear to be in a good place when it comes to the kicker and punter on special teams. Both Reichard and Hekker have proven themselves to be consistent and reliable players who can help the purple and gold win football games.
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