October 14, 2022 • 16 mins
In this episode of the Packers POV podcast, running back Aaron Jones describes his newfound Dad superpowers, his son’s connection with Aaron Rodgers and motivations for winning a Super Bowl.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hello, and welcome to Packers p o V, a podcast
that aims to shine a light on the human behind
the helmet. I'm your host, Taylor Rogers, and we are
here inside historic Lambeau Field. This is an exceptional guest,
one of just three players in NFL history two eclipse
four thousand rushing yards, forty plus rushing scores while averaging
(00:28):
more than five yards per carry in their first five seasons.
I am thrilled to welcome Pro Bowl running back Aaron Jones.
How's it going? Aaron's going great? Thank you. And you're
coming from a workout this morning? I understand. Yes, I
was fresh from a workout. You know how to get
it in early? And what's that like? Take us through
this workout today? Um, it was kind of a full
(00:49):
body workout. So he started the creeks where like our
indoor like little football field. So he started there, do
like a little warm up and then we go in, uh,
we flow through. We started with like lower body, like
a little activation warm up, and then got into lifting
and then transition to upper body and then finish with
some conditioning. That's intense, Yes, sir, yes, sir, but guess
the sweat going early? And makes it easier to you
(01:10):
already warmed up for practice, So food comes on the
back side of that. Then, yes, sir, right after workout,
so I normally go grab some food. I don't really
like to eat before I worked out or right before practice.
So I've got to find that that media and what's
that food for you after workout like this, probably some
like three fried eggs over easy for um, some toast
(01:30):
and maybe some oatmeal something like that, and a smoothie.
You can't forget the smoothie. What's in that I normally
go with like strawberries, pineapples, banana, Sometimes I add blueberries,
but some spinach, kale, ginger, coconut oil and m almond
butter and a little ice. Got a little everything in there. Yeah,
I do want to take this back because you've developed
(01:53):
some incredible habits and I think there's some points in
your journey that we can highlight that might have heard
at all. That you were born in Georgia and came
into this world with a best friend and your brother,
Alvin Jr. Yes, sir, I was born with a twin.
It's a huge blessing. I don't know what I would
do without a twin. So I just think my parents
and God for blessed me with a twin. And what
(02:14):
was your relationship like when you were kids? It's very,
very very competitive. We race to everything, race to the
car first, want to finish their food, Who can tell
your shoe the fastest? It didn't matter what it was.
We were always competing. But it was fun. And you know,
we moved around a lot of kids and we always
made new friends, but never had to worry about how
I got to go make a new friend because I
have my best friend right there with me every time
(02:35):
we would move, every time we travel, he is right
there by my side. That's amazing. And you guys bounced
around quite a bit from Georgia to Germany, then Tennessee,
Virginia and Texas. How did that shape you into the
man you are today? It made me very diverse. Uh
got to see a lot of different cultures and um
learn how to adapt quickly to new things or changed.
(02:57):
So UM, I feel like you know, all the time
of football things are changing or um you might call
a plan, it might not be the player you call.
You might have to audible and just being able to
get adapted to change quickly and I feel like it's
made me well around it. Like I said, I got
to grow up in different environments and experience different things,
so I feel like not a lot of things are
(03:17):
very new to me. To me, it's like, uh, you know,
God has this plan for me, Like what's on this path?
Like with new people I'm gonna meet. It's a journey.
It's a part of life. So I just I take
it all in and I look forward to it, so like, uh,
embrace it with open arms. Your parents seemed to have
blazed the trail for you in that regard. Alvin Sr.
(03:38):
Your father, and Vergess your mother, served to combine fifty
six years in the army. What stands out to you
from their service a couple of things. One is they
made it to their highest possible rank that they could,
so I have a high ceiling to reach for them.
They made it to the pinnacle of their career, so
I have to reach it to the pinnacle of my career.
I I've seen examples had them to set the example,
(04:01):
so it's something I have to live up to. The
Other thing that stood out is just how family oriented
they were. To me, It's a lot like the locker room.
You know, you got you you in the military, you
have a unit, so you have a group of people
that you're normally with most of most of the time.
And that's how it is in locker room. We have
our group that we're with most of the time. And
over the years, all the time, my parents would bring
like single soldiers home or um, young soldiers who didn't
(04:25):
have family there, and they would end up being our family.
They would end up coming to all of our basketball
football games and cheering us on and just become family.
And so I've always seen my parents have an open
door for everybody, and they've had they like they have
huge hearts. So um, it's a lot like that in
the locker room, you know. And that's one of the
things that helps me down there in the locker room.
(04:45):
I'm I've seen things like that before. That's a beautiful thing.
And we're talking now about your time in El Paso, Texas.
You arrived in middle school and take us through that journey.
Sounds like a really welcoming home. It definitely is a
welcoming home. A I moved there in seventh grade, uh,
from Virginia. That's where most of my family is in Virginia.
And then uh, shortly after we found out that ways
(05:07):
moving to a passo, Glory Road had came out and
my dad had took us to see Gloria Road and like, okay,
that's how passed. That's where I'm moving, and kind of
started resonating, and uh, I think it was a blessing.
You know, I say, I'm from our passo. Um, I've
been there. That's where I was at. I've been the
longest since being born. So that's home to me. That's
the people who've been supporting me ever since I started
(05:28):
really developing into like a go football player, and so
the community supports me, I support them, and that's home.
Glory Road is a great old hoops movie, right, Yes, sir,
you were a talented point guard. Were you more comfortable
driving or were you pulling up and shooting? Because your
three point shooting is out there on YouTube and it's Uh,
(05:50):
I definitely try to get to the basket first. I'd
like to shoot uh open jump shots. Uh, not not
so much contested or like passing kicked like somebody's driving
and kicked dish it out to you. I'd be ready
to shoot that. Other than that, I'm trying to go
off the jibil to who football was also a big
part of your journey the whole way through right be
getting in Tennessee, and I believe you took your first
(06:13):
hand off in kindergarten to the house. Something similar happened
when you got to college and at you tap you
became the old times school rushing leader. Yes, Sir Blessing. Now, yeah,
So actually my first tackle football team I ever played
for was the Packers. So when I got drafted out
to my mom was like, wow, this came back full circle.
(06:33):
So that was crazy, and um you said, I think
it was my first or second carry. Took a toss
uh sixty some yards around the right side and uh
against uh you and m University of New Mexico, and
that was one of our rivals. And I was like, wow,
I just did this as a freshman and it felt
pretty easy. Like and then I end up scoring two
more times a game. One of them got called back,
so I finish again with two touchdowns like a dy
(06:55):
yards and I'm like, wow, this is college football and
I'm ready for it, you know. And it just kept
rolling after that, and each year I got better, continue
to work and work and work, and I just continue
to build on the success that I had from my
freshman year all the way until my last year. And
my last year, I think I finished like third and
Russian in the country with seventeen hundred. And I recall
(07:16):
my last game at you Tup. I'm looking and I
see a Packer scout and he's in the throwback and
I'm like, who is that? Come to find out after
being drafted here and being here for while Elliott Wolf
and then that game arrest fore yards on two tries
and what do you know, I'm a Packer. So you
become a Packer again, overcome a Packer again. That is
(07:37):
an amazing full circle. And here we are. You're a
top five rusher in Packers franchise history. You've arrived. I'm
on the way. I'm on the way. I'm not there yet.
I'm on the way. Uh. And when it's all said
and done, I some things I gotta do for the Packers.
I mean, we gotta definitely get a trophy back here
in Lambeau. Um. You know, we've been so close for
(07:58):
the past three years and will be better for it,
just be that much better when we win it and
what's motivating you this season? Want my father to Uh
just getting back to last year that lost, how we
lost and when we lost, you know, I feel like
we had the team to do it. And then providing
for my family. Uh, that's another huge one. I have
(08:19):
a little son, so it's not just me anymore. I
have a mouth to feed, So I gotta make sure
I'm doing everything in my power to make sure he's
setting his future up the right way. And Uh, I
want to be a future Hall of Famer. I want
to be a Hall of Famer. So you gotta go
out there. You gotta produce, you gotta put the numbers up,
you gotta help your team. And I think at the
end of the day, you win that super Bowl, that
(08:40):
definitely helps. Uh. On that resume, you mentioned your two
year old son, Aaron Jr. How has that changed the
game for you. It's definitely motivating me a thousand percent more.
You know, like I said, it's not just me anymore.
I have somebody depending on me, and so everything that
I do, everything that I do, you have to think
about your actions first because how can this affect my son?
(09:00):
Or what if I'm not there for him? You know,
I know my mom and my brother, they would take
care of him, but it's different, like than your parents,
actually taking care of yourself, just thinking about everything first
before you do it, and just working your butt off too,
so I can leave everything for him and um, hopefully
I have some more children in the future, and leaving
for him and his brothers and sisters and their kids
and for me. That's what it's all about, Like building
(09:21):
an empire and leaving it for them and putting them
ahead of where I was at. And I grew up
pretty well, like middle class, grew up pretty well and
not one for anything. But I think that's the thing,
just put my family ahead of where I was at
when I started. You've talked about your dad, and you've
talked about dedicating the rest of your career to your dad,
Alvin Senior, who passed away last spring. What would you
like to achieve in his name? The biggest one is
(09:44):
the Super Bowl ring. He was there to see us
get very close, so um, we've talked about it multiple times. UM.
And then to the gold jacket or that, we've talked
about that as well. And two things that I will
get done Now I gotta get done, but I will
get done here. Uh so I'm excited about that. And
you know, I'm confident saying that is because the work
that I put in and I believe in myself. And
(10:05):
if you don't believe in yourself, who else will. And
you've talked about the importance of fatherhood and how that's
given you some dad's superpowers. What are some of those? Dad?
So I got catlike reflexes, now, I promise you I
didn't have reflexes like that before. But I see everything
a little bit better as well, I know. And then
he pushes me to we're at home and that I
(10:25):
want to watch football. That at football. He's two years old.
That at football football. So we're sitting there watching the iPad,
We're pulling up YouTube clips and you know, he just
keeps you engaged in and makes you want to do
that much better. Like now he can recognize me on
the field. Oh that's that, that's that asshole. He sees
a packer's helmet and he goes Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers.
So he's already grabbing the concept. He's like seeing games,
(10:48):
but old enough where he's able to kind of be
on the field and see it himself. Is Aaron Rodgers
his favorite player. I'm assuming so I told I told
a rod that too. I'm like, bro, the first time
is like happening. We're on a plane. I'm wearing my
packer's hat and he knocks it off and he sees
the g and he starts screening Aaron Rodgers Air Rodgers
on the plane. I told a rod this, and I'm like,
we're on a plane and then he starts Aaron Rodgers
(11:11):
and dad at Aaron Rodgers and and I'm like, but
it was so funny because it's on a plane. I'm like,
how do you know Aaron Rodgers name? But he tries
to play mad and he's always asking to watch football,
so he probably heard the name so much. So it's
exciting for me though, to see that he's like into
sports without me putting it on him. And he's right,
that's how it's been. It's been Aaron Rodgers and Aaron
(11:32):
Jones in tandem doing something most offensive plays. It sounds
like he's also teaching you some things. Oh yes, sir,
he's teaching me how how it's really how to how
to be a man, you know, how to take care
of a child. This is it's all new to me. Um,
So I feel like I'm doing a good job, but
just how to teach someone? How do you potty train?
I already knew how to change diapers, but I hadn't
(11:53):
changed that many diapers. Uh. He has me thinking like
big picture as well, like how can I make money
off of the field to also take care of my family?
What business can I start up at? What can I
do to make sure that his college fund when he
goes to college if he doesn't go on scholarship or something,
hopefully he does for sports or whatever it may be.
But if he does in his college is taken care
of and he doesn't have to worry about that. When
(12:14):
you talk about him showing you how to be a man,
you got an incredible education in that from your dad, who,
in your words, showed you how a man supposed to
be a man. What's the most important thing that your
dad taught you? That's tough. He's taught me so many
valuable things, because I can say that the biggest one
(12:36):
that let out to me is been sports wise. There's
been some stuff off to feel too, but sports wise,
for my career has been like very instrumental. Um. It
was a time when we were younger, we were just
more naturally god given talented than a lot of the
other kids. And um my dad was like, Hey, it's
gonna come to some point where that talent gap is
going to close, and you're gonna start seeing athletes who
(12:57):
can do the same thing as you can run just
as fast, if not faster, to jump higher. But what's
gonna separate you at that point? And we're looking, we're young,
We're like, what is it? Hard work? There's no replacement
for hard work and the work that you put in
your work ethic. And so that's something that's stuck with
me all day. Um. People may be bigger than may
be faster, they may be able to lift more waste
to me, but nobody will ever outwork me. So um,
(13:19):
that's something that I'll live by and something that's very
that's stuck with me to this day. And for sure,
once you get to high school and you start seeing
that talent guy closed, you start seeing athletes from the
other teams. Then you get to college and everybody can
do what you do at that point, and it's what
separates you. This is a lesson that you're applying today
right now as you grind it out. You're already coming
(13:42):
from a workout. We talked about your routine afterwards. There's
a work ethic that's built in and it's pretty cool
to see. Oh definitely. Uh, you know, and people can say, uh,
it gets repetitive, but uh, I've achieved my dream. My
dream was to play in the league. I mean, you
have other dreams. You said, your road map, you you know,
you change your goals and your dream. But now it's
(14:03):
like enjoying what comes with the journey. And that's what
comes with the journey and everything, the highs and lows.
I try to take it all in because we only
get to do this once, so I want to feel
every emotion that comes with this game, whether it's the
hogs and lows. I I felt the lows a lot now,
too many times, you know, in those big games. So
now it's time to start feeling that other side of it.
For any youngster listening in right now, seeing you where
(14:25):
you are and maybe feeling overlooked, slighted, underappreciated, what's your
message to them, Um, just don't quit, you know, believe
in yourself, be confident, and continue to put in that
hard work and that's why you can believe in yourself
and be confident because of the work that you're putting in.
And then when it gets time to play or the films,
cut on and make sure that is a representation of
(14:45):
yourself and what you want other people to see. And uh,
I always tell people think of a mountain, and you know,
everybody's way to the top is different. Some people may
have a straight path to the top, some people may
go around. Uh. Some people may go up, fall down,
go around, fall down, and go back up. You know,
everybody's path is going to be different. But as long
as you're working to get there, you'll get there. And
(15:05):
it's it sounds like the twists and the turns and
that path is what made you you Oh yes, sir,
that is definitely what made me me the chip on
my shoulder from feeling like I've been underrated and it's crazy.
I'll go back and on looking all these guys who
are ranked before me or things like that, and not
they're nowhere, but they're not where I am now. It's
about putting that work, believe in yourself. It's a marathon
(15:26):
pretty much, it's not a sprint. Because you can be
the top ten kid going into college, you know, and
then in college do nothing and lose that top ten.
So it's a long race. And just stay the course
and put your head down and continue to work in
when you get your opportunity, to make the most of
your opportunity. I think that's something that applies to football
and to life, and I think there's people that are
(15:48):
following your example and taking leadership cues from you. And
I really think you're impacting and being a guiding light
for more people than you know. So thank you so
much for taking the time here today to join our
Thank you, thank you, And I just want to let
all the youngsters, if any of them are listening, that, uh,
I'm no different from you. You can be here if
you want to, or you could be anything that you
(16:09):
want to be in life. But you have to believe
in yourself. You have to be confident in what you do,
and you have to put in the work. And yeah,
so you can be anything that you that you want
to be in life. And I'm here use me as
a resource. I'm I'm an open book of knowledge and
I'm here to give the game back to the kids.
Thank you so much, Aaron for taking the time. You're welcome,
Thank you for having me, and thank you for listening
to Packers p o V. To learn more about what
(16:32):
Aaron is doing off the field, visit a A All
the Way dot org. Take care and see you next time.
Hello, and welcome to Packers p o V, a podcast
that aims to shine a light on the human behind
the helmet. I'm your host, Taylor Rogers, and we are
here inside historic Lambeau Field. This is an exceptional guest,
one of just three players in NFL history two eclipse
four thousand rushing yards, forty plus rushing scores while averaging
(00:28):
more than five yards per carry in their first five seasons.
I am thrilled to welcome Pro Bowl running back Aaron Jones.
How's it going? Aaron's going great? Thank you. And you're
coming from a workout this morning? I understand. Yes, I
was fresh from a workout. You know how to get
it in early? And what's that like? Take us through
this workout today? Um, it was kind of a full
(00:49):
body workout. So he started the creeks where like our
indoor like little football field. So he started there, do
like a little warm up and then we go in, uh,
we flow through. We started with like lower body, like
a little activation warm up, and then got into lifting
and then transition to upper body and then finish with
some conditioning. That's intense, Yes, sir, yes, sir, but guess
the sweat going early? And makes it easier to you
(01:10):
already warmed up for practice, So food comes on the
back side of that. Then, yes, sir, right after workout,
so I normally go grab some food. I don't really
like to eat before I worked out or right before practice.
So I've got to find that that media and what's
that food for you after workout like this, probably some
like three fried eggs over easy for um, some toast
(01:30):
and maybe some oatmeal something like that, and a smoothie.
You can't forget the smoothie. What's in that I normally
go with like strawberries, pineapples, banana, Sometimes I add blueberries,
but some spinach, kale, ginger, coconut oil and m almond
butter and a little ice. Got a little everything in there. Yeah,
I do want to take this back because you've developed
(01:53):
some incredible habits and I think there's some points in
your journey that we can highlight that might have heard
at all. That you were born in Georgia and came
into this world with a best friend and your brother,
Alvin Jr. Yes, sir, I was born with a twin.
It's a huge blessing. I don't know what I would
do without a twin. So I just think my parents
and God for blessed me with a twin. And what
(02:14):
was your relationship like when you were kids? It's very,
very very competitive. We race to everything, race to the
car first, want to finish their food, Who can tell
your shoe the fastest? It didn't matter what it was.
We were always competing. But it was fun. And you know,
we moved around a lot of kids and we always
made new friends, but never had to worry about how
I got to go make a new friend because I
have my best friend right there with me every time
(02:35):
we would move, every time we travel, he is right
there by my side. That's amazing. And you guys bounced
around quite a bit from Georgia to Germany, then Tennessee,
Virginia and Texas. How did that shape you into the
man you are today? It made me very diverse. Uh
got to see a lot of different cultures and um
learn how to adapt quickly to new things or changed.
(02:57):
So UM, I feel like you know, all the time
of football things are changing or um you might call
a plan, it might not be the player you call.
You might have to audible and just being able to
get adapted to change quickly and I feel like it's
made me well around it. Like I said, I got
to grow up in different environments and experience different things,
so I feel like not a lot of things are
(03:17):
very new to me. To me, it's like, uh, you know,
God has this plan for me, Like what's on this path?
Like with new people I'm gonna meet. It's a journey.
It's a part of life. So I just I take
it all in and I look forward to it, so like, uh,
embrace it with open arms. Your parents seemed to have
blazed the trail for you in that regard. Alvin Sr.
(03:38):
Your father, and Vergess your mother, served to combine fifty
six years in the army. What stands out to you
from their service a couple of things. One is they
made it to their highest possible rank that they could,
so I have a high ceiling to reach for them.
They made it to the pinnacle of their career, so
I have to reach it to the pinnacle of my career.
I I've seen examples had them to set the example,
(04:01):
so it's something I have to live up to. The
Other thing that stood out is just how family oriented
they were. To me, It's a lot like the locker room.
You know, you got you you in the military, you
have a unit, so you have a group of people
that you're normally with most of most of the time.
And that's how it is in locker room. We have
our group that we're with most of the time. And
over the years, all the time, my parents would bring
like single soldiers home or um, young soldiers who didn't
(04:25):
have family there, and they would end up being our family.
They would end up coming to all of our basketball
football games and cheering us on and just become family.
And so I've always seen my parents have an open
door for everybody, and they've had they like they have
huge hearts. So um, it's a lot like that in
the locker room, you know. And that's one of the
things that helps me down there in the locker room.
(04:45):
I'm I've seen things like that before. That's a beautiful thing.
And we're talking now about your time in El Paso, Texas.
You arrived in middle school and take us through that journey.
Sounds like a really welcoming home. It definitely is a
welcoming home. A I moved there in seventh grade, uh,
from Virginia. That's where most of my family is in Virginia.
And then uh, shortly after we found out that ways
(05:07):
moving to a passo, Glory Road had came out and
my dad had took us to see Gloria Road and like, okay,
that's how passed. That's where I'm moving, and kind of
started resonating, and uh, I think it was a blessing.
You know, I say, I'm from our passo. Um, I've
been there. That's where I was at. I've been the
longest since being born. So that's home to me. That's
the people who've been supporting me ever since I started
(05:28):
really developing into like a go football player, and so
the community supports me, I support them, and that's home.
Glory Road is a great old hoops movie, right, Yes, sir,
you were a talented point guard. Were you more comfortable
driving or were you pulling up and shooting? Because your
three point shooting is out there on YouTube and it's Uh,
(05:50):
I definitely try to get to the basket first. I'd
like to shoot uh open jump shots. Uh, not not
so much contested or like passing kicked like somebody's driving
and kicked dish it out to you. I'd be ready
to shoot that. Other than that, I'm trying to go
off the jibil to who football was also a big
part of your journey the whole way through right be
getting in Tennessee, and I believe you took your first
(06:13):
hand off in kindergarten to the house. Something similar happened
when you got to college and at you tap you
became the old times school rushing leader. Yes, Sir Blessing. Now, yeah,
So actually my first tackle football team I ever played
for was the Packers. So when I got drafted out
to my mom was like, wow, this came back full circle.
(06:33):
So that was crazy, and um you said, I think
it was my first or second carry. Took a toss
uh sixty some yards around the right side and uh
against uh you and m University of New Mexico, and
that was one of our rivals. And I was like, wow,
I just did this as a freshman and it felt
pretty easy. Like and then I end up scoring two
more times a game. One of them got called back,
so I finish again with two touchdowns like a dy
(06:55):
yards and I'm like, wow, this is college football and
I'm ready for it, you know. And it just kept
rolling after that, and each year I got better, continue
to work and work and work, and I just continue
to build on the success that I had from my
freshman year all the way until my last year. And
my last year, I think I finished like third and
Russian in the country with seventeen hundred. And I recall
(07:16):
my last game at you Tup. I'm looking and I
see a Packer scout and he's in the throwback and
I'm like, who is that? Come to find out after
being drafted here and being here for while Elliott Wolf
and then that game arrest fore yards on two tries
and what do you know, I'm a Packer. So you
become a Packer again, overcome a Packer again. That is
(07:37):
an amazing full circle. And here we are. You're a
top five rusher in Packers franchise history. You've arrived. I'm
on the way. I'm on the way. I'm not there yet.
I'm on the way. Uh. And when it's all said
and done, I some things I gotta do for the Packers.
I mean, we gotta definitely get a trophy back here
in Lambeau. Um. You know, we've been so close for
(07:58):
the past three years and will be better for it,
just be that much better when we win it and
what's motivating you this season? Want my father to Uh
just getting back to last year that lost, how we
lost and when we lost, you know, I feel like
we had the team to do it. And then providing
for my family. Uh, that's another huge one. I have
(08:19):
a little son, so it's not just me anymore. I
have a mouth to feed, So I gotta make sure
I'm doing everything in my power to make sure he's
setting his future up the right way. And Uh, I
want to be a future Hall of Famer. I want
to be a Hall of Famer. So you gotta go
out there. You gotta produce, you gotta put the numbers up,
you gotta help your team. And I think at the
end of the day, you win that super Bowl, that
(08:40):
definitely helps. Uh. On that resume, you mentioned your two
year old son, Aaron Jr. How has that changed the
game for you. It's definitely motivating me a thousand percent more.
You know, like I said, it's not just me anymore.
I have somebody depending on me, and so everything that
I do, everything that I do, you have to think
about your actions first because how can this affect my son?
(09:00):
Or what if I'm not there for him? You know,
I know my mom and my brother, they would take
care of him, but it's different, like than your parents,
actually taking care of yourself, just thinking about everything first
before you do it, and just working your butt off too,
so I can leave everything for him and um, hopefully
I have some more children in the future, and leaving
for him and his brothers and sisters and their kids
and for me. That's what it's all about, Like building
(09:21):
an empire and leaving it for them and putting them
ahead of where I was at. And I grew up
pretty well, like middle class, grew up pretty well and
not one for anything. But I think that's the thing,
just put my family ahead of where I was at
when I started. You've talked about your dad, and you've
talked about dedicating the rest of your career to your dad,
Alvin Senior, who passed away last spring. What would you
like to achieve in his name? The biggest one is
(09:44):
the Super Bowl ring. He was there to see us
get very close, so um, we've talked about it multiple times. UM.
And then to the gold jacket or that, we've talked
about that as well. And two things that I will
get done Now I gotta get done, but I will
get done here. Uh so I'm excited about that. And
you know, I'm confident saying that is because the work
that I put in and I believe in myself. And
(10:05):
if you don't believe in yourself, who else will. And
you've talked about the importance of fatherhood and how that's
given you some dad's superpowers. What are some of those? Dad?
So I got catlike reflexes, now, I promise you I
didn't have reflexes like that before. But I see everything
a little bit better as well, I know. And then
he pushes me to we're at home and that I
(10:25):
want to watch football. That at football. He's two years old.
That at football football. So we're sitting there watching the iPad,
We're pulling up YouTube clips and you know, he just
keeps you engaged in and makes you want to do
that much better. Like now he can recognize me on
the field. Oh that's that, that's that asshole. He sees
a packer's helmet and he goes Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers.
So he's already grabbing the concept. He's like seeing games,
(10:48):
but old enough where he's able to kind of be
on the field and see it himself. Is Aaron Rodgers
his favorite player. I'm assuming so I told I told
a rod that too. I'm like, bro, the first time
is like happening. We're on a plane. I'm wearing my
packer's hat and he knocks it off and he sees
the g and he starts screening Aaron Rodgers Air Rodgers
on the plane. I told a rod this, and I'm like,
we're on a plane and then he starts Aaron Rodgers
(11:11):
and dad at Aaron Rodgers and and I'm like, but
it was so funny because it's on a plane. I'm like,
how do you know Aaron Rodgers name? But he tries
to play mad and he's always asking to watch football,
so he probably heard the name so much. So it's
exciting for me though, to see that he's like into
sports without me putting it on him. And he's right,
that's how it's been. It's been Aaron Rodgers and Aaron
(11:32):
Jones in tandem doing something most offensive plays. It sounds
like he's also teaching you some things. Oh yes, sir,
he's teaching me how how it's really how to how
to be a man, you know, how to take care
of a child. This is it's all new to me. Um,
So I feel like I'm doing a good job, but
just how to teach someone? How do you potty train?
I already knew how to change diapers, but I hadn't
(11:53):
changed that many diapers. Uh. He has me thinking like
big picture as well, like how can I make money
off of the field to also take care of my family?
What business can I start up at? What can I
do to make sure that his college fund when he
goes to college if he doesn't go on scholarship or something,
hopefully he does for sports or whatever it may be.
But if he does in his college is taken care
of and he doesn't have to worry about that. When
(12:14):
you talk about him showing you how to be a man,
you got an incredible education in that from your dad, who,
in your words, showed you how a man supposed to
be a man. What's the most important thing that your
dad taught you? That's tough. He's taught me so many
valuable things, because I can say that the biggest one
(12:36):
that let out to me is been sports wise. There's
been some stuff off to feel too, but sports wise,
for my career has been like very instrumental. Um. It
was a time when we were younger, we were just
more naturally god given talented than a lot of the
other kids. And um my dad was like, Hey, it's
gonna come to some point where that talent gap is
going to close, and you're gonna start seeing athletes who
(12:57):
can do the same thing as you can run just
as fast, if not faster, to jump higher. But what's
gonna separate you at that point? And we're looking, we're young,
We're like, what is it? Hard work? There's no replacement
for hard work and the work that you put in
your work ethic. And so that's something that's stuck with
me all day. Um. People may be bigger than may
be faster, they may be able to lift more waste
to me, but nobody will ever outwork me. So um,
(13:19):
that's something that I'll live by and something that's very
that's stuck with me to this day. And for sure,
once you get to high school and you start seeing
that talent guy closed, you start seeing athletes from the
other teams. Then you get to college and everybody can
do what you do at that point, and it's what
separates you. This is a lesson that you're applying today
right now as you grind it out. You're already coming
(13:42):
from a workout. We talked about your routine afterwards. There's
a work ethic that's built in and it's pretty cool
to see. Oh definitely. Uh, you know, and people can say, uh,
it gets repetitive, but uh, I've achieved my dream. My
dream was to play in the league. I mean, you
have other dreams. You said, your road map, you you know,
you change your goals and your dream. But now it's
(14:03):
like enjoying what comes with the journey. And that's what
comes with the journey and everything, the highs and lows.
I try to take it all in because we only
get to do this once, so I want to feel
every emotion that comes with this game, whether it's the
hogs and lows. I I felt the lows a lot now,
too many times, you know, in those big games. So
now it's time to start feeling that other side of it.
For any youngster listening in right now, seeing you where
(14:25):
you are and maybe feeling overlooked, slighted, underappreciated, what's your
message to them, Um, just don't quit, you know, believe
in yourself, be confident, and continue to put in that
hard work and that's why you can believe in yourself
and be confident because of the work that you're putting in.
And then when it gets time to play or the films,
cut on and make sure that is a representation of
(14:45):
yourself and what you want other people to see. And uh,
I always tell people think of a mountain, and you know,
everybody's way to the top is different. Some people may
have a straight path to the top, some people may
go around. Uh. Some people may go up, fall down,
go around, fall down, and go back up. You know,
everybody's path is going to be different. But as long
as you're working to get there, you'll get there. And
(15:05):
it's it sounds like the twists and the turns and
that path is what made you you Oh yes, sir,
that is definitely what made me me the chip on
my shoulder from feeling like I've been underrated and it's crazy.
I'll go back and on looking all these guys who
are ranked before me or things like that, and not
they're nowhere, but they're not where I am now. It's
about putting that work, believe in yourself. It's a marathon
(15:26):
pretty much, it's not a sprint. Because you can be
the top ten kid going into college, you know, and
then in college do nothing and lose that top ten.
So it's a long race. And just stay the course
and put your head down and continue to work in
when you get your opportunity, to make the most of
your opportunity. I think that's something that applies to football
and to life, and I think there's people that are
(15:48):
following your example and taking leadership cues from you. And
I really think you're impacting and being a guiding light
for more people than you know. So thank you so
much for taking the time here today to join our
Thank you, thank you, And I just want to let
all the youngsters, if any of them are listening, that, uh,
I'm no different from you. You can be here if
you want to, or you could be anything that you
(16:09):
want to be in life. But you have to believe
in yourself. You have to be confident in what you do,
and you have to put in the work. And yeah,
so you can be anything that you that you want
to be in life. And I'm here use me as
a resource. I'm I'm an open book of knowledge and
I'm here to give the game back to the kids.
Thank you so much, Aaron for taking the time. You're welcome,
Thank you for having me, and thank you for listening
to Packers p o V. To learn more about what
(16:32):
Aaron is doing off the field, visit a A All
the Way dot org. Take care and see you next time.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com