Dillon Explains Why He Re-Signed With Packers And His Motivation

AJ Dillon said he’s in the best shape of his career and is “down for whatever” after signing a one-year contract to stick with the team that drafted him in 2020.

Packers RB AJ Dillon at OTAs on May 21. / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

GREEN BAY, Wis. – From the moment he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, AJ Dillon embraced his new home. It didn’t take long for the community to embrace him right back.

That love of Green Bay – for the area and for the team – is why he returned on a one-year contract in free agency.

“Like I said before and I’ll say again, I love Green Bay,” Dillon said at Packers OTAs on Tuesday. “Green Bay’s my home. I obviously love the Packers and the opportunity I’ve had, but it’s a business and I get that and everybody gets it. So, you’ve got to disassociate yourself with that. That’s kind of what I did in the offseason.

“The Packers have given me an unbelievable opportunity the last four, now five years. There were other opportunities, there were other people I was talking to. At the end of the day, I had to make the best decision for me and my family. Ultimately, that was here. I’m here with the right mindset to do everything I can to help the team.”

As the saying goes, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence. However, it would have been easy for Dillon to jump over that fence in search of a new opportunity.

The Packers, obviously, had enormous expectations when they drafted Dillon. His skill-set gave some Derrick Henry vibes. While he’s had great moments and some big games, he’s failed to live up to those expectations.

Dillon admitted that he considered the possibility that maybe a fresh start could have jump-started his career.

“There was” that thought, Dillon said. “You’ve got to look at everything with a full view of every possibility and every offer and every role that was from every team. There were multiple people we were talking to, but it really comes down to, like I said, best decision for me and my family. That’s what my role is as a husband, as a father, as a football player, professional. I’m happy to be here.”

Dillon spent most of his rookie season behind Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams. In his one game with extensive playing time – against the Henry-led Tennessee Titans – Dillon rumbled 21 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Certainly, it was a sign of things to come.

Except it wasn’t. That remains the only 100-yard game of his career. His 5.9-yard average in that game is his best mark in his 31 games with 10-plus carries.

His yards-per-carry average has fallen from 5.3 as a rookie to 4.3 in 2021, 4.1 in 2022 and 3.4 in 2023.

However, Dillon’s value shows in “success rate,” a Pro Football Reference stat that matches Green Bay’s win/loss grading system. For instance, a first-and-10 run that gains 4-plus yards is a success. Over the last three seasons, 50 backs had at least 275 carries. Dillon’s success rate of 55.9 percent was No. 1 in the NFL. Even last year, when he failed to pick up the slack through Jones’ extended absences, Dillon’s success rate of 50.0 percent ranked 10th out of 41 running backs with at least 110 carries.

Plus, he averaged a robust 10.1 yards per reception.

“I know highlights make everybody look great, but if you put some of his best plays on a highlight reel, which we do when we do our (point-of-attack) tapes at the end of the year, you’re sitting there saying to yourself, ‘Man, this guy’s got the makings of a stud’ with some of the things he’s able to do catching as well as running,” running backs coach Ben Sirmans said before the start of OTAs.

“And his pass protection got way better this year. When you add all of those things and you figure out, ‘OK, we just got to have a level of consistency with you playing like this and then this is when you’re the monster that we know that we have.’ That’s why I feel pretty good that’s the guy we’re going to see a lot of more that consistent AJ.”

Dillon’s back on only a one-year contract. Thus, his 2024 could be a make-or-break season for Dillon, who turned 26 on May 2.

Dillon said he’s “down for whatever” is ahead, whether it’s No. 2 back behind Josh Jacobs or perhaps the H-back snaps played the past few years by Josiah Deguara.

“I’ve got a bunch of motivation but it’s all internal,” he said. “I’m in the best shape of my life. I feel good, so I’m ready to do whatever it takes. I want to go win a Super Bowl. I’ve been here – this is Year 5 now. We’ve been close. That’s really it. I’m going to go out, work and I’m going to be a dog in whatever capacity on game day. That’s it.

“Motivation? I’ve got it. Discipline? I’ve got it. I’m here and trying to be great.”

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