There's plenty of love between Aaron Jones and the Packers. There will not be Sunday when the Vikings go to Lambeau

Within the post-Aaron Rodgers period of the Green Bay Packers, it was operating again Aaron Jones who picked up the management mantle left behind by the Packers’ all-time passing touchdowns chief. 

“He is the full bundle proper there. I really like Aaron Jones,” Inexperienced Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love said after Jones’ record-setting performance of 118 yards dashing and three touchdowns on 21 carries within the group’s 48-32 playoff win on the Dallas Cowboys in January. “He brings an enormous spark to the group simply the best way he carries himself, the best way he handles his enterprise and reveals up able to work day by day. I am unable to say sufficient about him.”

“He is simply our hearth starter, and we hold the flame going,” Packers vast receiver Dontayvion Wicks mentioned that of Jones that day. 

Now, the Packers have to aim to place Jones’ flame out at Lambeau Discipline on Sunday as he returns to Inexperienced Bay with the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings. Jones, the No. 3 rusher in Packers historical past (5,940 dashing yards), departed Inexperienced Bay following the group asking him to take a pay minimize for the second season in a row after signing Raiders Professional Bowl operating again Josh Jacobs to a four-year, $48 million contract this offseason, the identical deal they signed him to within the 2021 offseason. 

Head coach Matt LaFleur cracked a joke about going through Jones earlier than speaking about how a lot the operating again means to him this week.

“Who? Who’s that? I am simply kidding” LaFleur said Tuesday. “Yeah, he’s an issue. He’s. He seems actually good. I have been capable of watch him slightly bit. Definitely he’s one in all my favourite gamers that I’ve ever needed to coach, a man like that. Simply when it comes to how he goes about his enterprise. Nonetheless obtained a number of love for him. Simply will not have a number of love for him once we’re taking part in towards him.” 

Rising into carrying the G

Jones did not start his Packers tenure as “the person” in Inexperienced Bay’s backfield. He really turned a Packer as a fifth-round decide within the 2017 NFL Draft similtaneously two different operating backs: fourth-round decide Jamaal Williams out of BYU and seventh-round decide Devante Mays out of Utah State. 

His first coaching camp was when Jones discovered he had followers within the group. Inexperienced Bay No. 1 vast receiver Davante Adams was the primary to convey that sentiment to the then-rookie operating again.

“[Adams] comes over to me on the sideline, I do not even know why, and he says, ‘I obtained you as my canine on this race,'” Jones wrote in The Players Tribune on Wednesday. “I am unable to even inform you what that did for me, truthfully. It was like, ‘OK, Davante Adams believes in me?’ It meant lots.  

Jones’ first actual alternative got here in a Week 4 dwelling matchup towards the Chicago Bears after two operating backs suffered accidents, and jogging into the Packers huddle for the primary actual snaps of his NFL profession, he discovered he already had the stamp of approval from the face of the franchise in Rodgers.

“A-Rod, he simply seems at me and he says, ‘Hey. I’m one in all your greatest followers on this whole group. It is your time. Yours, proper now,'” Jones wrote. 

Jones scored a two-yard dashing landing in a 35-14 win over Inexperienced Bay’s archnemesis. Nonetheless, his alternative vanished when the remainder of the operating again room obtained wholesome: Jones was inactive in consecutive weeks from Weeks 11-12, each losses towards the Ravens and Steelers. Shortly after that, Rodgers demanded Jones obtain taking part in time.

“In my head I am pondering, I had a pleasant second. Perhaps it is over,” Jones wrote. “However then I am going to always remember there was this one drive, later within the season and out of nowhere, A-Rod calls timeout, turns to the sideline and yells: ‘I WANT 33 IN THE GAME!!! I WANT 33 IN THE GAME!!! 33!!! NOW!!!’ I am standing there, I am trying down at my jersey, and out of the blue I am like, ‘Oh wait. I am 33. That is ME.’ I do not even bear in mind what the play was, or what occurred on it, however I simply understand how good that felt. It was this reminder that I used to be there for a purpose, what I imply? Among the best QBs who’s ever lived is definitely seeing one thing in me.” 

After his rookie season, Jones made a mistake: he needed to enter a no-contest plea for driving with marijuana in his physique, which led to a two-game suspension to start out the 2018 season. The Packers did not surrender on him. 

“I used to be so embarrassed after it occurred,” Jones wrote. “They are saying you symbolize the G always, and I hadn’t held up my a part of that. I felt like I might let everybody down who gave me an opportunity as a fifth-round decide, and for a man like me who wasn’t established but, a number of groups may’ve mentioned, ‘Let’s simply minimize him.’ It undoubtedly may have gone both manner, however the Packers had my again. Their mentality was, ‘This error is not you. It is solely you when you do not be taught from it.’ They made positive I walked round our constructing with my head held excessive, even after I was feeling actually low.”

He discovered, and when the Packers employed LaFleur to be the brand new head coach in 2019, the league found how profitable Jones could possibly be as a featured operating again. He co-led the NFL, together with Derrick Henry, in dashing touchdowns (16) and co-led the league in scrimmage touchdowns (19) alongside Christian McCaffrey. LaFleur unlocked Jones’ potential.

Aaron Jones With Matt LaFleur (2019-2023)

* Amongst 65 operating backs with 400-plus touches in span

Jones’ bond with LaFleur and the Packers group prolonged nicely past the soccer discipline. When Jones’ father died from COVID-19 issues, LaFleur, Packers normal supervisor Brian Gutekunst and operating backs coach Ben Sirmans all traveled to his hometown of El Paso, Texas, for Jones’ father’s funeral. 

“To say they did not have to try this is an understatement, and I do know I may by no means repay them on a soccer discipline,” Jones wrote. “So I am going to simply say, “‘Thanks.'”  

Jones wrapped up his letter to the Packers nation by letting them know they’re going to at all times be in his coronary heart, regardless that he adopted within the footsteps of fellow Inexperienced Bay legends like Corridor of Famer Brett Favre and Professional Bowl vast receiver Greg Jennings in becoming a member of the Vikings. 

“That is the most important factor I need to write right here, not simply to the Packers group however actually to all of Inexperienced Bay. Thanks. It is going to really feel unusual being on that visiting sideline for the primary time, and being on the opposite aspect of this NFC North factor normally, however it’s ALL love, and it is a lot gratitude. Thanks for ‘betting’ on me, using with me, hashtagging for me, and all the things else. Thanks for SEEING me. No G on the helmet Sunday, at all times one in my coronary heart.”