Sombrero and Oakley shades.
That’s Aaron Jones’ pregame search for nearly each recreation.
2
It was no completely different forward of the Minnesota Vikings huge tilt in opposition to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night time Soccer.
Sombrero, Oakley shades, repeat.
It is easy for the Vikings star working again.
It is a custom and signature look that was born out of his love for his hometown of El Paso, Texas.
Jones was born in Savannah, Georgia, however calls El Paso house.
He moved round loads as a toddler as a consequence of the truth that each of his dad and mom served within the army, however it was El Paso that Jones linked with essentially the most.
He moved there when he was a 12-year-old child, went to highschool there, after which went to UTEP, earlier than the Inexperienced Bay Packers drafted him within the fifth spherical of the 2017 draft.
The sombrero custom began again in 2019 when his longtime girlfriend dared him to put on it as a prank earlier than his recreation in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys.
Jones did and went on to hurry for over 100 yards, whereas scoring 4 touchdowns.
It was then and there that Jones knew the sombrero would not be going wherever.
2
One other El Paso native and present linebackers coach for the Arizona Cardinals, Rod Rodriguez, appreciates the highlight Jones is shining on El Paso when sporting the sombrero.
“Aaron just isn’t someone else appropriating something,” Rodriguez informed MinnesotaVikings.com.
“That is his tradition. Sombreros are throughout El Paso.
“For those who go to a restaurant and have a good time birthdays in El Paso, we’ve got mariachis on a regular basis. Mariachis, the tradition of the sombrero, it is throughout us.
“So when Aaron began sporting one as an homage to us, an homage to his group and all of the people who find themselves nonetheless rooting for him … I believed it was actually cool and distinctive. It put a smile on my face.
“All people in El Paso simply appreciates that he’s constantly considering of us … though we’re technically an ‘adopted’ hometown.”
Jones will usually pay tribute in recreation to El Paso, flashing a 9-1-5 (El Paso’s space code) along with his arms after every landing.
“It means absolutely the world to everyone again house,” Rodriguez stated.
“As a result of there are such a lot of folks from El Paso that go away [the city] after which type of neglect.
“However Aaron continues to be a hero to all the children in El Paso – particularly as a result of he constantly provides us a shoutout. He tells us he is desirous about us. And for these children again house, he is grow to be a hero.”
Jones is in his first yr with the Vikings, and has discovered nice success, as they’re house owners of an 11-2 report with a shot at claiming the one seed within the NFC.
Whether or not it was Inexperienced Bay, or now Minnesota, one factor is for sure.
You will all the time discover Jones in his sombrero and Oakley shades.