Getty Packers head coach Matt LaFleur thinks Aaron Jones is the toughest player he's coached.
The Green Bay Packers have had some tough players on their roster over the last few seasons, but head coach Matt LaFleur believes that one player has stood out over the rest as the toughest player he’s worked with.
ESPN’s Kevin Clark asked LaFleur who the “most [expletive]” player he’s ever coached was during a recent interview with the Packers head coach. It didn’t take long for LaFleur to answer with running back Aaron Jones.
I sat down with Matt LaFleur last week to ask him, like I ask everyone, who the biggest badass he’s ever coached was. His answer? AARON JONES.
“It might be too soon but like, Aaron Jones is a…he’s a [expletive] football player,” LaFleur answered. “For a guy that’s 190 pounds, and just the beating that the runners take in general. I mean, it’s like a car crash every time they get tackled…But his ability to come back later in the year and what he was able to do. I would say that was pretty [expletive].”
LaFleur has coached plenty of Pro Bowlers and intimidating players on both sides of the ball. However, his answer is telling about the toughness that Jones possesses as a smaller running back.
An Awkward Exit for Aaron Jones
LaFleur may think very highly of Jones, but the Packers decided to move on from their star running back this offseason.
Jones was released by the Packers in awkward fashion. Green Bay made one of the most surprising early signings of free agency by adding Josh Jacobs. The Packers gave him a four-year, $48 million deal, but the initial assumption was that Jones would stay to play alongside him.
Instead, the Packers released Jones almost immediately after signing Jacobs. Jones seemed to take the release personally, signing a one-year deal with the rival Minnesota Vikings a day later.
The move came as a surprise to Packers fans. Jones had been one of the biggest bright spots on the team since being taken in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He left Green Bay third in all-time rushing behind Ahman Green and Jim Taylor. His career stats included 5,940 rushing yards and 63 total touchdowns in seven seasons.
Now, the Packers will be hoping that Jacobs can bring a similar spark to the offense. Unfortunately, he’ll have plenty of pressure to bring the same kind of off-field presence that Jones had to the fanbase.
Matt LaFleur Loves Having a “War Daddy”
LaFleur named Jones as the toughest player he’s ever coached. However, he has his own unique phrase to describe some of his other players not afraid of being physical.
In 2022, LaFleur described former Packers wide receiver Allen Lazard as a “war daddy,” praising him for his toughness. He used the same phrase to describe rookie wideout Jayden Reed this past season, while also calling him a dog.
LaFleur has always been a fan of physical and competitive wide receivers. He emphasizes blocking at the position, and has credited his time with Andre Johnson as a reason for that while he coached with the Houston Texans.
Losing a competitive and tough player like Jones will hurt the Packers offense. However, LaFleur is hoping players like Reed can continue to bring that physical edge in 2024 and beyond.