After the Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers last month, head coach Kevin O’Connell gave an impassioned speech in the locker room at Lambeau Field.

He heaped praise on his players for grinding out a win over their biggest rivals, highlighted a number of standout performances from the game itself, then turned his attention to veteran running back Aaron Jones standing near the front.

“This guy has changed our team,” O’Connell said. “This guy has changed our organization.”

That moment perfectly encapsulated the impact Jones has made on and off the field since signing with the Vikings. After being released by the Packers because he wouldn’t take a pay cut, Jones has proved to be worth every penny for the Vikings.

The production speaks for itself as Jones has been the straw that stirs the drink for the Vikings this season, recording 104 carries for 501 yards and a pair of touchdowns, to go along with 22 receptions for 227 yards and a touchdown.

The only issue is it has been a heavy workload for Jones. He already has played 262 offensive snaps as the primary ball carrier for the Vikings. He’s also currently on pace to shatter his career high for touches out of the backfield.

Not that Jones seems too concerned. Though some people are worried that the high usage will cause him to wear down sooner rather than later, he has always prided himself on being able to carry a heavy workload.

Never mind that he turns 30 years old in a couple of months.

“I’m feeling healthy,” Jones said. “I’m feeling good.”

Nonetheless, the Vikings need to be careful with Jones, especially if they want him to be at the peak of his powers should they make the playoffs.

That explains why O’Connell vowed to get running back Ty Chandler and running back Cam Akers more involved moving forward.

“We’re going to have to see those guys get some touches,” O’Connell said. “We’ve got to continue to have a mindset of those snap counts going into games.”

That’s something offensive coordinator Wes Phillips also reiterated when asked about how the Vikings have used Jones this season.

“He wants to be in there really the whole game,” Phillips said. “We have to be smart, and we have to be the people to say, ‘Hey, this series is going to Ty, or this series is going to Cam.’”

If anything is clear talking to O’Connell and Phillips though, it’s that as much as the Vikings are going to make a concerted effort to give Jones a breather here and there, he’s still very much going to be a focal point on offense.

That’s exactly how Jones likes it.

“As long as I’m in the game plan, I’m fine,” Jones said. “I don’t have to touch it a certain amount of times. If I’m not touching it, I’m OK. This is the game that I love, and I just want to be on the field with my brothers.”

FILE – Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) is seen after an NFL football training camp, July 27, 2024 in Eagan, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn, File)
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell talks to the media after an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

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