A.J. Dillon’s season is over.
The Green Bay Packers placed the running back on injured reserve on Tuesday, officially ending his 2024 season before it could begin.
Dillon missed the final three games of last season after he sustained a neck injury. While he recovered from that stinger this offseason, Dillon went down with a similar neck injury during their joint practice with the Denver Broncos last week. He said last week while waiting for more tests that the injury felt different than the one he sustained last season.
“I’ve had stingers in the past before the end of last year,” Dillon said, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Some are more severe than others, so you kind of look at them differently. But we’re waiting to get opinions back and see all the information before we make any statements that are untrue.”
While specifics of his injury aren’t yet known, it’s clearly severe enough to keep him sidelined for all of the 2024 campaign.
Dillon ran for 613 yards and had two touchdowns last season, his fourth with the Packers. He’s been Aaron Jones’ longtime backup in Green Bay, who first selected him with the No. 62 overall pick in 2020. The Packers released Jones earlier this offseason and brought in Josh Jacobs in free agency. Jacobs spent his first five seasons in the league with the Las Vegas Raiders, and he racked up 805 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 13 games last season.
Dillon, who signed a one-year deal to return to Green Bay himself, was expected to take a significant chunk of snaps behind Jacobs this season. Head coach Matt LaFleur said Dillion was in “THE best shape” he’s seen during training camp, too. With Dillon now sidelined, the Packers will likely have to lean on Emanuel Wilson while rookie MarShawn Lloyd is recovering from a hamstring injury.
The Packers, who went 9-8 last season and made the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five years, will open their season against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 6 in Brazil.
