Back in the Green Bay Packers’ training camp in July, running backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon were clearly on the same page when it came to a goal for the 2022 season: They both wanted to reach 1,000 yards rushing for the season.
According to Dillon, “Me and Aaron (Jones) haven’t talked, but it’d be nice to both have 1,000 yards rushing.” Jones later added: “We both want to hit that 1,000-yard mark.”
NFL teammates with 1,000 yards rushing
Teammates with 1,000 yards rushing has happened seven times in NFL history. It happened first in 1972 when the Miami Dolphins running back tandem of Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris each went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season. The last time it occurred in the league was in 2019. Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson had 1,206 rushing yards and running back Mark Ingram had 1,018 that year.
The closest the Packers have come to a pair of teammates reaching 1,000 yards rushing was 50 years ago. In 1972, John Brockington had 1,027 yards rushing. Running mate MacArthur Lane was short of the 1,000-yard mark with 821 that’s same.
Next closest duo for the Packers were Jones and Dillon last season when Dillon led the 2021 squad with 803 rushing yards and Jones was close behind with 778.
Jones, Dillon 1,000-yard rushing teammates in 2022?
So, with 11 games completed and six remaining this season, how close are Green Bay Packers running backs Jones and Dillon to reaching their goal talked about at the start of training camp?
Jones leads the Packers this season with 778 yards. He is on pace to run for 1,202 yards, which would give him his third 1,000-yard rushing season with the Packers (he had 1,084 in 2019 and 1,104 in 2020). He only needs 222 yards in the last six games of the year to reach 1,000… a very doable task.
Dillon, on the other hand, has more of an uphill battle to reach 1,000 yards rushing. Dillon has 467 rushing yards this season in 11 games. That puts him 533 short of 1,000 for the year. He would have to average 88.8 yards per game in the final six contests to reach 1,000 yards. His game-high this season is 73 yards rushing versus New England in Week #4. Dillon is on pace to finish the year with 722 rushing yards for 2022.
There’s little doubt that Jones and Dillon have the talent to one day each reach 1,000 yards rushing; it’s even possible they could do it as teammates with the Packers. We may not see it in 2022, but if they stay with the Packers and stay healthy, it’s a distinct possibility in the future.
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