GREEN BAY – The physical changes were not difficult to spot.
Before the Packers even hit the practice field this week, Head Coach Matt LaFleur already noticed a difference in AJ Dillon following a rigorous offseason in which the 26-year-old running back cut down to 245 pounds with 5% body fat.
"This is the best I've seen him. Hands down," LaFleur said. "I was joking with him the other day. You can see the abs on him. That's hard for a big man to do. He looks like he's in great shape."
After re-signing with Green Bay in March, Dillon did a lot of work on himself this offseason with the goal of reporting for training camp in the best shape of his life.
The fifth-year veteran was already in a good shape, having played last season at 250 pounds and roughly 8-9% body fat, but he wanted to take things to another level.
So, Dillon cut carbs, amped up the grassfed beef, traded soda for water with meals, and picked up a WHOOP band to track his sleep patterns, recovery and respiratory rate.
A full participant in Green Bay's offseason program, Dillon used his down time to run the steps inside Lambeau Field with a weighted vest. Every move was made with improvement in mind.
The totality of the work led to a visible transformation, but it really tells only half the story. Perhaps even more importantly, Dillon felt he found peace in his pressure-packed sport during the process.
"I put in the work, and I live in a world where I can't lose. That's my mindset," Dillon said.
"I work my tail off and I know I'm working harder than I've ever worked ever. With that, there's no pressure. Two yards or 2,000 yards, I know that I'm doing everything I can."
Last year was perhaps Dillon's most challenging, as he was sidelined due to injury for the first time in his NFL career. He also was forced to play several games with a club due to a broken thumb he suffered in New York last December.
After finishing with 842 total yards on 200 touches, Dillon was cleared from his neck and thumb injuries in time for free agency. He spoke with several teams, but in weighing all his options, Dillon still felt he had unfinished business in the city that's become his second home.
Green Bay is special. It's where Dillon met his wife, Gabrielle. The couple was married in nearby Door County and last year welcomed a son, Trey. This past week, the Dillons made another investment into the community by launching the Dillon Family Foundation, aimed at empowering families to combat hunger in Green Bay and the surrounding communities.
Open to whatever role awaited him, Dillon signed on for another season with the team that drafted him in the second round in 2020. His goal is to perform at a "Pro Bowl-level" in whatever role he's asked to fill.
"When I was talking to other teams and when I came in here and talked to our coaches, that's what I told them," Dillon said. "When I come back, that's what I'm ready to do. It's easier said than done but I'm trying to do everything I can."
Coincidentally, Dillon was in the building to sign his contract the same day as two-time All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs, who joined the Packers this offseason as an unrestricted free agent following a five-year run with the Las Vegas Raiders.
While Dillon and Jacobs didn't know each other beforehand, they developed a fast friendship. Together, they've enjoyed leading a talent-rich running back room that includes rookie third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd and Emanuel Wilson.
As much as the Packers are counting on Jacobs to be a feature playmaker in the offense this season, the former NFL rushing champion credits Dillon for helping him acclimate to Green Bay's locker room.
"He's been a great vet," Jacobs said. "He's come in and helped all the guys in the room, including me. If we have questions about something we didn't know, he didn't keep that to himself. He's been more than welcoming."
Having taken care of the controllables, Dillon can't wait to see what the 2024 season has in store. Yes, competition will be fierce but that's no different than when Dillon was sharing a backfield with Pro Bowler Aaron Jones the past four years.
Like usual, Dillon received a message from his mother, Jessyca Campbell, wishing him good fortune this upcoming season. In it, Campbell mentioned how this training camp was Dillon's fifth, which hit home for the third-longest tenured player on Green Bay's offensive side of the ball.
"Playing Year 5 as a running back, that's a feat in itself (but) it's not even close to the end of the story," Dillon said. "I'm coming out here, having fun, enjoying the process and striving to get better every day. I don't think I've really scratched the peak of where I could get and I'm trying to get there."
