The Green Bay Packers' veteran leadership lacks the tenure to drive home the veteran aspect of the term, but the leadership holds firm nonetheless. There may not be a better example on the roster than Josh Jacobs after his efforts in the team's 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7.
Jacobs dealt with an illness and a calf issue coming into the contest, so the doubts of him even suiting up for Green Bay were substantial. Apparently, the team wanted to take the cautious route with Jacobs, as the star running back had to persuade the higher-ups to let him play.
"I was just trying to tell them, 'Trust me, I'm gonna be honest about how I feel and what I can do. Don't ever doubt me and don't ever limit me in the sense of just trust me and let me be who I am,'" Jacobs said after the game, according to The Athletic's Matt Schneidman.
Obviously, the decision makers relented and allowed Jacobs to play in the game with a bit of a snap count. He primarily played in and near the red zone, explaining his 13 carries for 55 yards and two scores.
Packers running back Josh Jacobs refused to rest his leadership role
Jacobs has proved his leadership value countless times during his short tenure with the team. After all, it takes a real difference maker at his position to score 23 touchdowns within 23 games. Wouldn't it be poetic if he had 27 touchdowns by the time his 27th game in a Packers' uniform is through?
Still, Sunday's gritty performance is just one further example of the value of simply having Jacobs available. The Packers' offense wasn't as electric as many fans may have expected, and while the ground game wasn't dominant, when Jacobs had his shots to influence the scoreboard, he didn't squander the opportunities.
In the locker room after the game, Jacobs delivered a heartfelt speech to his teammates after receiving a game ball that was well-earned.
"I don't ever want anybody in here to doubt what I give and how I care about y'all boys, bruh," Jacobs said. "Every day I come in here to work, and I can't look you in the eye, bruh, if I don't give you everything I got. I love y'all boys."
What Green Bay may lack in the quantity of valuable, vocal, veteran leaders, they certainly make up for it with the quality. Between Jacobs, Micah Parsons, and Xavier McKinney, the Packers have excellent leadership to turn to for inspiration and guidance.
Being a tight-knit, young team, quality leadership pays in dividends, and sometimes slowly in the face of adversity. Resting on that can ease the tension of a strange start to a strange season, where the team might not look as good as its record indicates.