It’s looking like a slow day in Wisconsin, and while I could spout off another diatribe about why Jermichael Finley shouldn’t be signed again (he shouldn’t, but we’ll leave it at that) or talk yet again about Ha’Sean “HaHa” Clinton-Dix, I’d rather write about one of the chronically unsung heroes of the green and gold. While every cheesehead out there sings the praises of Clay Matthews for his awesome pass rushing, Aaron Rodgers for everything he does, and Eddie Lacy for bringing a rushing game to the team, seven-year veteran of the Packers’ roster A.J. Hawk is much less discussed. This is a crying shame for a couple of reasons.
Like the Energizer Bunny Crossed with a Mack Truck
For those of you who don’t grasp my poetic license, the Energizer Bunny just keeps going and going and a Mack Truck is a well-known American heavy duty truck manufacturer. A.J. Hawk is a great hitter who doesn’t take plays or games off. He’s been playing for the Packers since 2006. During that time, he has missed two regular season games. These two games occurred back in 2011 when he suffered a calf injury against the Lions in November. That’s right, other than that, he has not missed a regular season game since 2006. From the 2006 season until November 2011, he started 98 straight games. It’s not the record. In fact, it’s not even close to the record, because London Fletcher has the record for most consecutive starts by a linebacker, with 215 games. But 98 straight is still pretty impressive.
A.J. Hawk’s Consistent Production
From his rookie year back in 2006 until the end of the 2013 campaign, Hawk has been steadily racking up stats. The smallest amount of tackles recorded in a year was his 2011 number of 84 (keep in mind he missed his only two games in that season). His highest number was 120 in both 2006 and 2012, with 2013 being a close third with 118 total tackles. Add to these numbers the fact that he averages about 2.5 sacks per year, despite rarely being used for pass rushing, and an average of 4 passes defended per year. There are some defensive backs in the league who don’t deflect four passes per year. These numbers have never bought him a defensive MVP award, but considering the fact that he has been either number one or two in every year with the Packers, Hawk’s productivity level is high and consistent.
Selfless Team Player
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4spkxz3PuY]
Recently, this video surfaced from a charity golf tournament in which A.J. Hawk agrees to tackle a fan on a golf course. He obliges and then they high five and hug. He seems like a nice guy, but to really understand his character, look at what he did back in early 2013. In the 2012 season he recorded 120 tackles, leading the team. In March 2013, he agreed to have his contract restructured and essentially dropped $7 million over three years so that the Packers could have more cap space. That’s a team player. When your leading tackler agrees to take a salary cut so the team can have a few million more dollars in cap space, that’s a true gem.
Please forgive me if this seems like a case of hero worship, but nobody can deny that AJ Hawk is the underappreciated foundation of Green Bay’s defense.
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