Vikings $20 Million Starter Losing Role to Breakout Player
The Minnesota Vikings have two competent running backs behind quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and deciding how to use each of them as effectively as possible is one of the best problems head coach Kevin O’Connell could hope to have on his plate.
Each back flashed his skills in Minnesota’s comeback win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on “Monday Night Football,” with Jordan Mason showing himself the superior rusher (at least in that particular game) and Aaron Jones Sr. putting his pass-catching skills on display yet again.
For the evening, Mason and Jones essentially split the total of offensive snaps, though Mason has clearly usurped Jones’ role as the primary rusher of the football after just Week 1.
“Word out of Minnesota was that Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones Sr. would see a 50-50 split. That played out Monday night, with Mason getting 30 snaps to Jones’ 28,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN wrote on Wednesday, September 10. “Mason is the younger (26) and more explosive runner at this stage, and he had 15 carries for 68 yards compared with Jones’ 23 yards on eight carries, though Jones added three catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. I expect the even workload to continue, with Mason serving as the hammer and Jones the do-it-all option.”
Aaron Jones Will Remain No. 1 Pass-Catching Option in Vikings’ Backfield
GettyRunning back Aaron Jones of the Minnesota Vikings.
Jones is 30 years old and playing on a two-year deal worth $20 million total. The Vikings traded a fifth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers and swapped sixth-rounders for Mason this offseason before inking him to a two-year contract worth $10.5 million total.
Jones had a monster season in his initial campaign in Minnesota in 2024, putting up 1,138 rushing yards and five TDs on the ground (4.5 yards per attempt) as well as hauling in 51 catches for 408 receiving yards and two TDs through the air. He played his first seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers.
The nine-year NFL veteran has caught 326 passes for north of 2,500 receiving yards and 21 TD receptions across 115 regular-season appearances (103 starts) and will, without question, be Minnesota’s primary receiver out of the backfield for as long as he remains healthy in 2025.
Jones played in all 17 games last year, though he left multiple contests early due to in-game injuries. He missed six games in 2023, his final year in Green Bay.
Jordan Mason Has Run With High Efficiency for Entire NFL Career
GettyRunning back Jordan Mason, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers.
Meanwhile, Mason has recorded just 15 receptions f0r 129 receiving yards and has never caught a TD pass in 46 games played (six starts).
He has, however, recorded an average of 5.2 yards per carry in each of the last two seasons and appears to get stronger as the games goes on, which showed up against the Bears on Monday night. He averaged 6.0 yards per carry on limited work (43 rushes) during his rookie campaign.
Mason put up 100 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries against the Vikings in Week 2 last season, leaving an impression on the coaching staff and the team as a whole. Minnesota brought him in to both complement Jones and serve as an insurance policy in case Jones suffers any health issues.
It is fairly clear now that Mason is going to shoulder the bulk of the rushing duties, and that the Vikings have found something real in their two-headed running back attack.
Lamar Jackson Apologizes to Bills Fan After Shoving Incident: "I Should Have Handled It Differently"
In a heartfelt statement, Lamar Jackson has publicly apologized to the Buffalo Bills fan he shoved during the Ravens’ Sunday night loss, acknowledging his actions and offering some words of advice for the fan involved.
“I want to apologize to the fan—I shouldn’t have reacted that way,” Jackson said in an emotional address. “I let the heat of the moment get the best of me, and I realize now that wasn’t the right way to handle things.”
The incident occurred after a tense series of plays, where Jackson, visibly frustrated, shoved a fan who had been heckling him from the sidelines. The interaction immediately sparked backlash, with many questioning the quarterback’s composure in such a high-stakes situation.
But Jackson didn’t stop at an apology—he also offered guidance to the fan: “Football is emotional, but we’ve got to respect each other. My advice is to keep the spirit of the game alive, without letting things get personal. It’s all about the competition, not about taking things too far.”
The apology comes after both Ravens fans and Bills fans weighed in on the situation, with many applauding Jackson for owning up to his mistake. However, the question remains: Can Jackson move past this incident, or will it haunt him throughout the season?
One thing is certain—Lamar Jackson’s maturity after the incident shows his ability to take responsibility, even in the most frustrating of moments.