Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson cheers for new Saints punter Lou Hedley

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - In a show of camaraderie and support, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson took to Twitter to send his best wishes to the New Orleans Saints’ newly appointed punter, Lou Hedley.

The Hollywood superstar’s tweet read, “Rooting for this guy to make it. Love Lou Hedley’s story and his hunger.”

Both Johnson and Hedley share an alma mater, having attended the University of Miami. Both of them suited up in a No. 94 jersey for the Hurricanes, which drew attention from the Saints’ own No. 94, Cam Jordan.

The undrafted rookie, Hedley, has clinched the starting position as the Saints’ punter after the team waived Blake Gilliken.

Hedley’s journey to the NFL has been nothing short of inspiring. Before entering the world of American football, Hedley owned a tattoo shop in Bali, Indonesia, and worked as a scaffolder. His sporting prowess was honed on the grounds of Australian Rules Football before he transitioned to punting.

Hedley joined City College in San Francisco in 2017, where he began his punting journey. He signed to the University of Miami Hurricanes in 2019, where he further refined his skills. He was a consistent contender for the prestigious Ray Guy Award from 2020 to 2022.

After the 2022 season, Hedley decided to forgo his final season of eligibility with Miami and declared for the NFL Draft.

The Saints’ kicking dynamics have seen a shift with the departure of veteran kicker Wil Lutz, who was traded to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a seventh-round pick. The trade paves the way for rookie Blake Grupe to assume the kicking responsibilities for the Saints this season.

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