GREEN BAY, Wis. — Earlier this year, the Green Bay Packers made the decision to release running back Aaron Jones after failing to agree on a restructured deal.
He was back at Lambeau Field on Sunday for the first time since that release.
Ahead of his return, Jones wrote a heartfelt letter titled, “A Message for Green Bay.” In it, he expressed his love for the community and the Packers organization.
Fans showed their love by wearing his jersey to the game on Sunday.
Hollie McVay has been a Packers fan her whole life. She wore her son’s Jones jersey to the game even though Jones now plays for the Minnesota Vikings, who faced the Packers Sunday.
“He’s just such a good mentor and like, someone that the kids can look up to,” said McVay said. “My 12-year-old son looked up to him, so, I just think that it would be great to see him do well.”
McVay said she gained more respect and love for Jones after the letter he wrote on Sept. 25, expressing his love for the Green Bay community and the team he said shaped his career.
“I read that letter, and it was just very heartfelt and very heartwarming,” McVay said. “I just like how he loved how Green Bay rallied around him when his when his father passed away and how we supported him from the beginning up.”
Another lifelong fan, Tim Hartley, brought out his Jones jersey to show support for his long-time favorite player. He said he was shocked when he heard the news that Jones was being released earlier this year.
“He had a heck of a career here. He had a great following,” Hartley said. “His character showed through his history with military service, and I just saw a lot of interviews with him and his family, and he just seemed like a stand-up guy and the kind of person that you could get behind as a fan.”
Jones said in an interview that he would do a Lambeau Leap if he scored a touchdown Sunday. Although he did not score, McVay said she would have enjoyed seeing him do it.
“I’m just excited to see him back in Green Bay because my family and I just really love watching him play,” McVay said.
The Packers struggled early Sunday’s game and lost 31-29 to the Vikings. Jones had 93 yards in the contest.