Los Angeles Rams

Rams P Hekker tweets apology to Seahawks' Avril for cheap shot

Published Dec. 28, 2015 6:54 p.m. ET

foxsports

St. Louis Rams punter Johnny Hekker followed up a private apology to Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril with a very public one Monday.

Not proud of costing my team 15 yards yesterday. The hit on @cliffavril was unnecessary and I want to apologize to him for that personally.
— Johnny Hekker (@JHekker) December 28, 2015

Hekker posted a mea culpa Monday on his Twitter account, one day after he was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct for a blindside hit on Avril during Sunday's game in Seattle.

Calling the hit "unnecessary," Hekker tweeted a personal apology to Avril while noting he was "not proud" of drawing an infraction that cost St. Louis 15 yards.

Avril, who charged at Hekker on a subsequent punt before pulling up, told reporters after Sunday's game that Hekker apologized to him "so it's all good."

Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett took a harsher approach than his teammate. He also made a run at Hekker, causing the punter to recoil on the ground, and leveled a verbal assault at Hekker following the game.

Michael Bennett said Rams punter Johnny Hekker is cowardly for hitting Cliff Avril, then curled up "like a little girl." #Seahawks
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) December 28, 2015

"He wants to hit somebody when they're not looking. To me, he's just a coward," Bennett said, adding that Hekker "squealed like a little girl" when he dropped to the ground to avoid the Pro Bowl lineman.