Wilson Runs for Father, Chance at Roster Spot

In a remarkable and poignant preseason performance, Packers running back Emanuel Wilson had a monster night on the anniversary of his father's passing.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Aug 12, 2023 2:12 AM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Late Friday morning, Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson logged onto Twitter.

“Today marks 14 years of the day my father was taken for me,” he wrote. “Today is also my first NFL game and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to play on this day.”

Thirteen hours later, after Wilson in a No. 31 jersey ran like the Hall of Famer Jim Taylor, that post had been viewed almost 200,000 times.

Over the course of six carries on Friday night in Cincinnati, Wilson went from just another anonymous, bottom-of-the-depth player to one of the great feel-good stories in the NFL.

Highlighted by an 80-yard scoring sprint, Wilson rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns, a performance that did more than vault Wilson into the thick of the race to be the No. 3 back. It was a showing that would have made his father, Manuel Wilson, proud.

“God Thank You,” he posted late Friday night.

There are a few layers to Wilson’s story, starting with the anniversary of the death of his father.

“I can’t really explain the emotions but I just know that he’s proud of me, reaching my goals and everything in life,” Wilson, who was 10 at the time of Manuel’s passing, told reporters afterward.

Emanuel Wilson — Photo by Katie Stratman/USA Today Sports Images

“He’s always been with me since the day he died. I can’t even explain it. I just know that he was always here for me,” he added.

Wilson said a brother and cousin mentioned that the date of the game coincided with the date of his father’s passing.

“Throughout the whole week, I was really like, ‘Dang, I’m really playing on the day my dad died,’” Wilson said. “It’s also a blessing to go out there and do what I need to do.”

In Wilson’s mind, his father was alongside him when, late in the third quarter, he took advantage of exquisite blocking to score on an 11-yard run. He was alongside him early in the fourth quarter, when Wilson ran through three tacklers to convert a third-and-1 with a gain of 14. He was alongside him when, on the next play, he broke two more tackles on a gain of 18 that was overturned by a holding penalty. And he was alongside him on the next series, when Wilson was off to the races for an 80-yard touchdown.

Guys with 4.58 speed in the 40, which was Wilson’s time at the HBCU Combine, shouldn’t outrun everyone to the end zone, but that’s what Wilson did. Maybe he got a little push.

Aaron Jones understands. His father, Alvin Jones Jr., died in April 2021.

“I know what he’s gone through,” Jones said. “Me and him have communicated about it previously, and so I knew tonight was special for him. After his first one, I just told him that, ‘Hey, that was for your pops. He’s here. He’s watching. He has the best seat in the house.’ And I was like, ‘Go do it again,’ and he just kept having a night. You can’t help but think his dad was out there on the field with him, so I just think that was very special, and I can relate.”

At Fort Valley State, Wilson was a Division II All-American last year after rushing for 1,371 yards and scoring 19 total touchdowns as a senior. Wilson went undrafted and spent a few days with the Denver Broncos. The Packers signed him a week later, when he joined Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson and seventh-round pick Lew Nichols in the competition for a roster spot behind Jones and AJ Dillon.

“Getting that phone call, it was a good feeling,” Wilson said after an impressive training camp practice. “It was a good feeling just because I had an opportunity to play football once again.”

Wilson will keep getting those opportunities. A huge week is ahead, with joint practices against the New England Patriots on Wednesday and Thursday before their preseason matchup on Saturday. Nichols has been out with a shoulder injury, and Goodson exited Friday’s game with a shoulder injury, as well, so the ball will be in his hands.

“It’s very important because I know coming in as a rookie, sometimes you get overlooked for being undrafted and everything,” Wilson said. “My coach said, ‘Play like you played in college,’ and that’s what I did tonight.”