Jones and King, Two Goats in NFC Championship Game, Officially Re-Sign

“Walking off the field the last game with my head down … I’m like, ‘Man, is this the way my career’s going to end in Green Bay and in Lambeau?’”

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers on Friday announced that running back Aaron Jones and cornerback Kevin King have signed their free-agent contracts.

Jones agreed to his four-year deal on March 14 but finally signed on Friday. King agreed to his one-year contract on Tuesday. Both players had to pass physicals before signing.

Jones and King will be seeking redemption – and the team will be counting on it – when the 2021 season kicks off. That’s because their last appearances, the NFC Championship Game loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, were disasters.

King was beaten for a touchdown on the opening drive of the game and another touchdown in the final moments of the first half to send Green Bay to the locker room with a 21-10 deficit.

Green Bay got the ball to start the second half but Jones fumbled after a crunching hit by Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead on a third-and-5 reception. One play later, the Bucs were in the end zone with a 28-10 lead and Jones was headed to the locker room with what he described as cracked rib cartilage “that condensed my sternum and my ribs.”

At the moment, Jones couldn’t help but think that play might be his final one with the team for which he rose to stardom.

“Walking off the field the last game with my head down … and going through my mind, I’m like, ‘Man, is this the way my career’s going to end in Green Bay and in Lambeau?’ I definitely didn’t want to finish my career like that here. I’m just blessed to be able to come back and suit back up here.”

The Packers answered with back-to-back touchdowns to pull within 28-23 but failed twice to turn interceptions into points, then settled for a field goal on first-and-goal at the 8. With the Packers needing one more stop to get the ball back, King was flagged for a blatant pass-interference penalty on third-and-4 to seal the Packers’ fourth loss in the NFC Championship Game over the last eight seasons.

“Still dealing with it,” Jones said as part of the accompanying video. “One of the biggest games of my career, not the way I wanted it to go. We were that close back-to-back years. It definitely hurts. It leaves a mark. …

“I know when it comes back down to it, it won’t play out like that again.”