Packers: Jaire Alexander names Eric Stokes the designated snacks guy
By Alex McComb
It didn’t take long for Green Bay Packers All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander to get on a rookie’s case.
Rookie initiation is common in the early days of the football season, from high school to the NFL. During this year’s training camp, Alexander is making sure the newest batch of Packers players don’t forget it.
Green Bay’s 2021 first-round draft pick and newest member of the Packers secondary, Eric Stokes, told the media after Tuesday’s practice he did not initially impress Alexander in the locker room — all because Stokes didn’t bring enough snacks.
Stokes explained he would frequently bring snacks from his truck but Alexander kept wanting more.
"“[Alexander] just kept saying, ‘Hey man, I’m gonna keep saying it but you gotta bring more snacks.’ So, Sunday, I literally went to Target and I brought a lot of snacks — like a lot of snacks,” recalled Stokes.“So then he came in [to the locker room] and he said, ‘Alright man, you cool… Rook you are totally cool with me now.'”"
Stokes added that he thinks all those snacks will be “gone by Friday.”
After Jaire Alexander relentlessly pestered rookie CB Eric Stokes about not bringing enough snacks to the #Packers defensive backs room, Stokes went to @Target on Sunday and loaded up for a junk food-a-palooza.
— Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) August 3, 2021
“If the nutritionist walks in there, I don’t think he’d be pleased.” pic.twitter.com/3aCRJE5EWF
But it wasn’t just Alexander who’s been hungry.
Adrian Amos also wanted some training camp food. Stokes said the Packers safety requested pistachios.
"“That’s weird, but Smash [Amos] loves pistachios,” he said."
Aside from locker-room antics, the rookie corner from Georgia has also seen his fair share of hazing on the field. After a recent practice, Alexander left his shoulder pads on the field for Stokes to pick up before they hit the showers — a classic veteran move.
Despite the growing pains and rookie duties that come with any player’s first year in the league, he said he’s continuing to learn from Alexander and the rest of Green Bay’s starting secondary. Even before Stokes’ media appearance, ESPN’s Jason Wilde mentioned he noticed Alexander was fixing Stokes’ hair.
The Packers have less than two weeks until they kickoff their pre-season schedule against the Houston Texans at Lambeau Field next Saturday, Aug. 14.