GREEN BAY, Wis. — Vikings running back Aaron Jones tried his best to block out the emotions on Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field.

After spending the better part of a decade with the Green Bay Packers, and building a legacy that will live on forever, Jones returned to his old stomping grounds with a singular focus that centered on the Vikings getting an NFC North win.

All of that faded away for a few minutes pregame, however, when Jones was the last player on the field after warmups. He stayed out a little longer than usual to soak in the moment. He then looked to sideline and saw his mother Vurgess.

“She was tearing up,” Jones said while hinting that he got pretty close himself. “I was like, “Oh great Mom.’”

Those emotions took a backseat when the rivalry matchup started and Jones set his sights on accomplishing the task at hand. He finished the game with 22 carries for 93 yards to help lead the Vikings to a 31-29 win over the Packers.

As impressive as Jones as he was with the ball in his hands, he notably did not score a touchdown. It appeared that coach Kevin O’Connell was doing everything in his power to get Jones into the end zone, while everybody was waiting for a “Lambeau Leap.”

As the Vikings put the finishing touches on their win with a couple of kneel downs, Jones said a few defenders on the Packers were out there talking some trash. They were seemingly proud of themselves keeping Jones out of the end zone.

“I was like ‘You guys are worried about me Lambeau leaping? You guys should be worried about the score,” Jones said with a smile. “I came here and I got what I wanted.”

As he reflected on his time with the Packers postgame, Jones was asked about the decision to sign with the Vikings. He heaped praise on the way the organization has treated him from the jump. He added that he’s genuinely happy with how everything has worked out to this point.

Obviously, it helps that the Vikings are 4-0. The fact that the Vikings remained undefeated with a win over the Packers was the only other time Jones felt himself get emotional during his return to his old stomping grounds.

“I felt it the most when the clock hit zero,” Jones said. “We came here to get a job done and that was to win this game.”

As the Vikings headed to the locker room postgame, Jones knew there was still something that needed to take care of. He vaulted himself into the stands and celebrated the victory with some of the fans that had stuck around.

“I still got the ‘Lambeau Leap,’” Jones said with a smile. “It was special.”

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