EAGAN, Minnesota — Minnesota Vikings back Aaron Jones“The plan is already set if he scores a touchdown when he returns to Lambeau Field on Sunday.
“I’m definitely jumping,” Jones said Wednesday with a smile.
Jones spent seven seasons with the Green Bay Packerswhose players typically do a Lambeau jump into the stands after scoring touchdowns. Now with the Vikings after signing a one-year free agent deal in March, Jones is looking forward to his first game on the visitors’ sideline at Lambeau.
He said he hopes to find some Vikings fans in the front row, and he said it would make for a “pretty cool photo” of fans wearing both Vikings and Packers jerseys around him as he celebrates a score.
Jones ranks fifth in the NFL with 325 total yards from scrimmage as the Vikings have started the season 3-0. When asked earlier this week about the running back’s start to the season, Packers coach Matt LaFleur joked, “Who?” before calling Jones “one of my favorite players I’ve ever had the privilege of coaching.”
“Who?” Jones said with a laugh Wednesday when asked about LaFleur’s comment.
Jones insisted he held no hard feelings after the Packers asked him to take a pay cut and ultimately released him this spring.
“I understand it’s a business and I’ve built some really good relationships there,” Jones said. “I have a lot of respect for the people there and the relationships I’ve built there, and there’s nothing but love. … At some point you have to make business decisions, and it might be a tough decision, but you have to make a decision and live with it.”
The Vikings saw Jones at his best, as he rushed for 228 yards on 42 carries and 97 yards receiving on 12 receptions. He scored two touchdowns – one rushing and one receiving – and made a big impact with his tenacious pass blocking.
The Vikings have also worked to keep him fresh, allowing him to touch the ball 54 times (13th in the NFL) while allowing him just 104 snaps, including plays nullified by penalties. Among running backs, Jones’ snap count is 27th in the NFL.
“It’s just about being hungry,” Jones said. “I feel like I’m hungry, coming in ready to learn the playbook, ready to make an impact, knowing where I want to go and where I want to be. … I wanted to put in the work from week one and I felt like I was capable of doing that.”
“This offense is perfect for me, and I was able to come in and focus on the little details.”
