Vikings' Aaron Jones says he has to 'smell the end zone' vs. Packers and do a Lambeau Leap

Aaron Jones returns to Lambeau Field for the second time as a visitor when the Minnesota Vikings come to town to face the Green Bay Packers in a Week 12 game on Nov. 23.

He had a tremendous performance last year — 26 total touches for 139 yards — against the Packers in a winning effort early in the season in Green Bay.

But there was one thing missing on his day. He didn't find the end zone to experience a Lambeau Leap during the game as a guest.

And that motivates Jones, a popular figure during his seven-year run in Green Bay from 2017-23 heading into the two teams' first matchup of the 2025 season.

"I think I'm even more excited about (the game) this year than I was last year because I didn't get in last year," Jones said this week. "I got to smell the end zone, find a way to make it happen one way or another, and then get my leap in."

Jones made sure to add that it has to happen in a game setting this year. "In regulation instead of after regulation this time," he said.

Despite not scoring during the Vikings' 31-29 win as part of a 5-0 start for Minnesota in 2024, the 30-year-old still enjoyed a Lambeau Leap. But he did it after the game for the Vikings fans in attendance who stuck around.

Jones, who has experienced many Lambeau Leaps wearing a Packers uniform, has just two total touchdowns in 2025 — one rushing and one receiving this season. Part of that can be attributed to injuries.

He missed four games from Weeks 3-6 with a hamstring injury and missed part of the second half of the team's Week 9 game against the Detroit Lions with a shoulder injury. Before he went out, Jones was having his best showing with 78 yards on nine carries and two catches for 20 receiving yards.

But he appears to be getting back to full speed when he logged a season-high 16 carries and had his second-highest rushing total with 70 yards in the Vikings’ 19-17 loss to the Chicago Bears last week.

Aaron Jones stats 2025

• Carries: 52

• Rushing yards: 256

• Rushing TDs: 1

• Receptions: 13

• Receiving yards: 112

• Receiving TDs: 1

Aaron Jones stats with Packers

• Carries: 1,177 (fourth-most in team history)

• Rushing yards: 5,940 (third-most in team history)

• Rushing TDs: 45 (fourth-most in team history)

• Games: 97

• Seasons: 7

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Aaron Jones has burning desire for Lambeau Leap in Vikings vs. Packers