Packers RB Aaron Jones Hopes His Signature Gold Glasses Foretell His Post-NFL Career: ‘I Want a Gold Jacket’
Aaron Jones is one of the most exciting running backs in the NFL, and he’s still just in his fourth season. While Jones’ game speaks for itself, so does his attire on the sideline and as he enters the Packers’ stadium. It’s made him one of the most unique personalities in the league, although Jones’ reason behind it shows how committed he is to be more than an athlete.
Aaron Jones takes the field
Coming out of college in El Paso, Jones wasn’t a surefire success NFL story. He played for a school with a rich sports history but wasn’t viewed as a power player like Clemson or Alabama. However, he made up for this with speed and talent that quickly got him on the radar for NFL fans.
Jones was not an overnight success. But as a fifth-round pick, merely making it onto an opening day roster proved people wrong. He played an integral part for the Packers in 2017 despite coming off the bench in all but four games. However, learning under Aaron Rodgers and a slew of Packers veterans, Jones started to get a feel for the game.
In the 2018 season, his role got slightly bigger. Jones spent his first games coming off the bench. Eventually, he made it into the starting lineup for eight of the 12 games he played in. This was a wake-up call. While he was not yet a star, it helped show the league a potentially great player. In 2019, Jones finally got the full-time starting role. He rushed for over 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns and followed it up with an even better season this year.
Jones is fast, quirky, and not afraid of the spotlight. However, there’s a method to his madness off the field.
Aaron Jones, the fashion icon
Anyone who has watched Aaron Jones has likely seen him stand out in a crowd. He might not even be one of the biggest names on his team. But he has a radiance that makes people look his way. This includes his signature look: a beard, golden sunglasses, and when entering the stadium, a sombrero, details KLAQ.
According to Jones, that sombrero goes back to his young days. Playing in El Paso, a heavy Mexican population was rooted for him when he was still an unknown player. He decided to pay respects to them by sporting a sombrero that he found at a costume shop. Now in the NFL and hundreds of miles away, Jones continues that tradition to this day.
Jones’ sombrero
According to Jones, the sombrero is a way to explore his Texas roots. Although he was born in Georgia, he called Texas home for several years. After finding the sombrero, he realized that it was sticking with people. The running back spoke about this with Inside Hook:
“I’m from El Paso and the city has a huge Hispanic and Mexican culture. We were actually playing in Dallas and I went and got a costume sombrero and wore it with my outfit. I was getting so many compliments. Then a Packer fan named Señor Cheese Head contacted me. He was like, ‘Dude do you want me to send you a real sombrero, a Packer-colored one?’ And I’m like, ‘Yes, sir, I’d love that.’ He sent it to me last year and I’ve been wearing it ever since.”
However, when it comes to the gold sunglasses, Jones sees them as a nod to his future concerning a goal he believes is still within reach.
“I don’t know if this is everybody’s goal who comes in and plays an NFL game and wants to be the best, but I want a gold jacket,” he said per Inside Hook. “At the end of the day, I think that’s a true testament to your career. So that’s one of my long-term career goals. I believe in speaking and talking about it and speaking it into existence. Gold jacket, gold glasses — it would be perfect.”
If his sombrero represents the past and glasses represent the future goals, Jones’ game speaks for the present. He might not be a superstar. But he’s running one of the best offenses in the NFL and making his name as a late-round draft pick. As his star grows even brighter, perhaps Jones will develop even more quirks for the fans to enjoy.
