GREEN BAY – The Packers have hired Aaron Hill as their new strength and conditioning coordinator. Here are five things to know:
- Hill spent the past five seasons as San Francisco's assistant strength and conditioning coach.
Hill was hired in 2019 to assist 49ers head strength and conditioning coach Dustin Perry, whom he previously worked with at the University of Minnesota.
The two arrived on the Gophers' campus together in 2009 when Perry was an assistant strength coach and Hill was a walk-on freshman linebacker. Following graduation and a brief NFL stint, Hill rejoined Perry in Minnesota as a strength and conditioning intern in 2014.
Hill enjoyed a successful five-year run in San Francisco, with the 49ers making two Super Bowl appearances and capturing three NFC West titles.
- Matt LaFleur's familiarity with 49ers, Perry led him to Hill.
LaFleur goes back a long way with Perry, a native of Marcellus, Mich., who's a first cousin of LaFleur's wife, BreAnne.
An admirer of San Francisco's strength program, LaFleur had several conversations with Perry about Hill. Team athletic trainers Bryan Engel and Nate Weir also were consulted during the hiring process, according to LaFleur.
"I thought Aaron did an outstanding job in the interview process," LaFleur said. "I just think it was important that we were all onboard with this. Just in order to get the collaboration, cooperation because a lot of people touch our athletes and at the end of the day when you're talking about a performance staff, you need everybody in alignment. So, the communication has got to be on point, and we just came to a consensus on picking Aaron for that spot."
- Hill had a productive playing career at Minnesota, while earning a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and exercise science.
A 6-foot-2, 231-pound linebacker, Hill recorded 192 tackles, five forced fumbles four interceptions, and 3½ sacks in 47 games for the Gophers.
Hill scored three touchdowns during his college career, including a 39-yard interception off Joel Stave that represented the Gophers' lone score in a 20-7 loss to Wisconsin on Nov. 23, 2013.
Earlier that season, Hill recovered a fumble for a 50-yard TD in a 44-21 win over New Mexico State. His other TD came on a 33-yard interception return against Texas Tech when Hill was a junior.
While Hill originally walked on at Minnesota, he earned a full scholarship after a redshirt freshman season in which he made 14 tackles in 12 games with two starts. A former team captain, Hill was a two-time recipient of Minnesota's Butch Nash Award for competitiveness on and off the field.
He graduated with a bachelor of science in kinesiology sport and exercise science before earning his master's degree in applied kinesiology-sport and exercise science the following year.
- During a brief NFL run, Hill had the opportunity to play to for his childhood team.
A native of St. Charles, Mo., Hill signed as an undrafted free agent with the St. Louis Rams in 2014. He recorded three defensive tackles and two stops on special teams in the preseason before being among the Rams' final cuts.
Prior to his release, Hill played the Packers during the second of his three preseason appearances. He recorded a fourth-quarter tackle of running back LaDarius Perkins in the fourth quarter of an eventual 21-7 Green Bay win at the Edward Jones Dome.
"All my hard work paid off for me," Hill told the West Newsmagazine earlier that summer. "I've been playing football for 13, 14 years. To play for the hometown NFL team is a great feeling. The only thing I can say is God put me here for a purpose."
- He climbed the strength and conditioning ladder through Nashville and Carolina.
Following his time in Minnesota, Hill was hired as a summer strength and conditioning intern with the Carolina Panthers. He then parlayed that opportunity into a full-time job at Vanderbilt University.
Hill served as an assistant for four years under head strength coach James Dobson and his staff.
