EAGAN, Minn. — Aaron Jones has hit pay dirt 39 times in 53 career games (regular season and playoffs) at Lambeau Field.
Scoring touchdowns in Titletown is normal for Jones. But one on Sunday would look drastically different.
"Of course," the Vikings running back said it's on his mind. "Of course!"
On almost the seven-year anniversary of his initial visit to the end zone (Sept. 28, 2017, vs. Chicago), Jones has the chance to make his first Lambeau Leap as a Viking. That's right, he's plotting a leap.
"If you're not thinking about the end zone, you're thinking about the wrong thing," Jones smiled. "I'm definitely leaping. Definitely leaping up there. (Where?) It depends on which end zone I score in, but either end zone is not too tall. It is kind of high up there, but I can still get up there, so either one.
"Hopefully there's a Vikings fan in one of them so I can jump up to them," Jones added. "I think that would be a pretty cool shot, pretty cool side-by-side with the two jerseys and doing the Lambeau Leap."
Jones is Green Bay's No. 3 all-time leading rusher and No. 4 rushing touchdown scorer.
He led all NFL players in touchdowns, with 19, his first season as a full-time starter in 2019. The following year, he made it to the Pro Bowl, weaving through lanes for a career-best average of 78.9 yards per game in 14 games played. And from 2019-22, he ranked sixth with 5,723 scrimmage yards and fourth in touchdowns (47).
He's fond of his days at Lambeau Field in dark green and gold.
"The fans made it fun. The teammates made it fun. At the end of the day, I feel like that's one of the stadiums that you get that college feel," Jones described. "You still got the old-school bleachers. So you get that feel; you see the fans out there kind of tailgating early, so it was a good place to be."
But now he's looking forward to creating memories at Lambeau Field in Purple.
"You want to bring that winning side back over here to give our fans something to brag about; give the state of Minnesota bragging rights over Wisconsin," said Jones, delving into the rivalry aspect of the game and how it adds to the occasion. "The fans are really the ones who amp this up and get behind it. We know how big of a game it is, as well, but the fans are the ones who are kind of crazy about it."
His message to Packers backers that have disregarded his colors is simple.
"They could be hard on me [for coming here]," Jones admitted graciously. "But I think it's a testament to who I was in my time there; the heart that I showed, just being in the community. So, I thank them for being receptive to it."
His performance also factored into the soft spot in fans' hearts.
Jones was the 19th running back taken in the stacked 2017 draft class that featured the likes of Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey, former Viking Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon, Alvin Kamara and James Conner.
Only Kamara (82) and McCaffrey (81) from that class have more rushing and receiving touchdowns than Jones (65).
He had nine games at Lambeau with multiple touchdowns, including four scores against Detroit on Sept. 20, 2021. He definitely outplayed his 182nd draft slot, becoming an elite, slashing back with receiving chops.
But after his overall numbers declined in 2023 when he was inactive for six games, Green Bay opted for a switch, letting Jones walk in the spring after bringing in Josh Jacobs, despite Jones running wild with 584 yards on the ground in the last five games of his Packers tenure.
Jones never imagined he'd pack up and leave town. But he feels no animosity in this new adventure.
"I understand it's a business," Jones said. "I have a lot of respect for the people there and the relationships that I've made there. There's nothing but love. … At some point, you've got to make business decisions. It may be a hard decision, but you've got to make a decision and live with it."
Vikings Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips was delighted.
"It was a lot like the feeling when the [T.J.] Hockenson [trade] talks were going," Phillips said Tuesday. "It was not only excitement about the player and what you know about the player already, but to get him from a division rival — different circumstances, obviously — but just to be able to get one of their players, and you don't have to compete against [him] anymore, and he's on your side, it's a pretty good feeling."
Impressively, at 29 years old (common age for RB production to dip) Jones looks far from calling it quits.
Through three 2024 games, Jones is averaging 5.4 yards per tote, with his most carries per game (14) since averaging 14.4 in his 2020 Pro Bowl campaign. He's racked up 224 yards and a score on 42 rushes.
He's influencing the passing game, as well. Jones has five receptions in back-to-back games for the first time since Weeks 16-17 of the 2021 slate. He chipped in a receiving touchdown last Sunday in the red zone.
Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell is more amazed at the person than the player.
"It's hard to even put into words what he's been able to do," O'Connell said Wednesday. "Not even in between the white lines, which has been spectacular, but just his fit, the type of person he is, the way the guys already look to him as kind of the standard of how we want to do things around here."
One training camp and three games down, and Jones has made an indelible impact on Vikings culture.
"He's a great leader, great person, big family guy," Vikings defensive captain Joshua Metellus said. "He's just one of those guys who people gravitate toward and has that energy. I played against him for four years, so being able to have him on the team, I instantly just felt that connection with him."
Teammates rave about his on- and off-field footprint.
"I'd say first and foremost [he's] just a great teammate," Vikings left guard Blake Brandel said. "Super knowledgeable about the game and then he obviously has the ability to go out and do whatever. He's explosive; a lot of help in pass protection, too, which has been great. … He's a great all-around player."
Jones had the same effect, no doubt, on the rival franchise for seven seasons. He penned a letter to Green Bay in The Players' Tribune, thanking the club and its supporters for “seeing” him.
"I feel like I didn't say goodbye, and their fans, I feel like they were kind of in the middle – like with me coming in. So I just wanted to let them know, 'Hey, it's nothing but love and respect,' " Jones explained.
Jones added that his heart is in Minnesota: "I love everything about this organization, but I just wanted to tell them thank you for my time there, accepting me, allowing me to become the player that I am."
"I think Aaron Jones is a special, unique human being that just happens to be one of the best in the league at what he does, and he loves football," O'Connell shared. "He's an absolutely great teammate. And I think he was the same thing for the team we're playing this week. And I think it'll mean a lot to him to go up there, and I know he feels incredibly strong about the organization that Aaron comes from, and the fan base. I think he's having a blast, though, forming that same dynamic with our fans and our team and our organization, and he's doing it on a daily basis. And it's absolutely awesome to watch."
The Vikings knew right away what the Packers learned first: Jones is one of one.
"To be honest, my last time walking out of there, I thought I was coming back," Jones confessed.
In a way, he was right.
