AJ Dillon's season-ending neck injury was a tough one for Packers fans to deal with.
Putting aside the fact that he was in line to be a critical part of the Packers rushing attack this season next to Josh Jacobs, Dillon's been a fan favorite since coming to Green Bay. His injury stinks from a football perspective, but on a human level it stings even worse; it's entirely likely that Packers fans have seen him play his last down in Green Bay now that he'll be out for all of 2023-2024.
That's a lot of feelings to process, and the absolute last thing Green Bay needed was yet another emotional element to an already emotional time.
So obviously there's a new emotional element. This one comes straight from the source: the running back Took To Twitter to absolutely wreck every Packers fans' Friday afternoon. Let's turn up the Kelly Clarkson and dive in.
AJ Dillon's latest tweet sure reads like a very emotional goodbye
Thank you all for the overwhelming support during this tough time. This injury is a tough blow, but I’m staying positive and surrounded by an incredible support system Right now, my focus is on getting healthy, and I’m rooting for my brothers to take care of business 💪 #GPG 💛💚 pic.twitter.com/aCl7ipXHDV
— AJ Dillon (@ajdillon7) August 30, 2024
It's a lovely sentiment from Dillon, but I hate everything about this when reading between the lines.
It is a tough time, and it was a tough blow. I'm glad he's able to stay positive, because that's more than I can say for myself. He and Josh Jacobs were set to be one of the better running back duos in the NFL – and definitely one of the best in the NFC North. The Packers certainly could have used another season of 700-800 bruising yards from Dillon, and now they'll have to settle for Tweets That Make Everyone Sad.
I also don't love how much this reads like a goodbye. Maybe I'm just being a prisoner of the moment, but the lack of any "I'll be back and better than ever" sentinment – a staple in these types of post usually – makes me sort of wonder if this is really the end. If that's the case, it was a hell of a four year run for Dillon. Ideally we're all just a little too in our feelings right now, and we can have a nice laugh about this next August when he's back and in the best shape of his life.
For now, I'll just cry a little bit (but, like, a cool amount) and then watch some 2021 highlights.