Vikings running back Aaron Jones feels the love from Packers crowd in return to Lambeau Field

GREEN BAY, Wis. – After the Vikings’ 31-29 victory over the Packers, running back Aaron Jones wasn’t going to miss a chance to jump into the Lambeau Field stands where he celebrated many of the 71 touchdowns he scored over seven seasons with Green Bay.

Most players had left the field by the time Jones vaulted himself into the first row of bleacher seats, where a hoard of Vikings fans awaited him. Jones had 139 yards from scrimmage, but did not score Sunday.

“I did get my leap,” Jones said. “It was kind of funny because as we were taking that last kneel, the Packers defense, they’re like, ‘Ah, we didn’t let you Lambeau Leap here. We didn’t let you Lambeau Leap in our house.’ And I’m like you guys are worried about me Lambeau Leaping? You guys should be worried about the score. I came here and got what I wanted [a win], but I did get my Lambeau Leap in.”

Jones was welcomed with open arms by Vikings and Packers fans alike during his first game at Lambeau on the opponent’s sideline. Jones drew applause before kickoff, when a mixed crowd of green and purple jerseys gave him a standing ovation as he waved to the crowd and ran into the tunnel.

But the last interaction with Packers defenders almost didn’t happen.

“He was going to let Ty [Chandler] go in for the kneel down,” right tackle Brian O’Neill said. “We said, ‘No, get your butt out here. You need to be on the field for this.’”

“Obviously really wanted to get a win for him,” O’Neill added.

Jones spent a long time before kickoff Sunday catching up with seemingly every Packers employee, from members of the equipment staff to his former teammates and Packers President Mark Murphy. Last week, Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur called Jones “one of my favorite players” he’s ever coached. The Packers released Jones in March after he declined a second pay cut in as many years, which led to his one-year deal with the Vikings.

Jones, 29, remains a fan favorite in Green Bay.

“A full-circle moment,” he said, “knowing everything I do on the field is cool, but I’m kind of remembered for what I’ve done off the field in this community. I think that says a lot about me. … I think I left a pretty big legacy. My mom called me and said, ‘Hey, they have a couple billboards up of you here.’ That really touched my heart as well.”

Jones said he tried to block the emotions out, but they hit him when he saw his mother on the sidelines.

“She was the one kind of tearing up,” he added. “I’m like, ‘Great, mom.’ But after warmups … the crowd showed me some love there and that’s when I could feel it a little bit.”

It wasn’t much of a surprise for Vikings players seeing how Jones was welcomed back.

“That’s just Green Bay fans,” said tight end Robert Tonyan, who played 72 games for the Packers over five seasons. “They’re a great group, very supportive. They’re not like that toxic, negative fan base. They’re always welcoming to other fans. But I mean, how are you going to hate Aaron Jones?”

There didn’t seem to be any hate toward Jones among the announced crowd of 78,335 people.

“I felt [the emotions] most after the clock hit zero,” Jones said. “Coming in here to get one job done and that was to win this game. Being back here meant a lot to me, but at the end of the day it was a division win.”

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