As long as veteran running back Aaron Jones is on the roster, the question will come up every time the Vikings play the Green Bay Packers.

Is he looking forward to playing against his former team?

“I’m not going to give them bulletin board material,” Jones said with a smile Thursday afternoon at the TCO Performance Center. “I have confidence.”

In the same breath, Jones appealed to some of his former teammates, noting that he still wants to prove himself to them. He’ll get his chance to do that when the Vikings host the Packers on Sunday afternoon at US Bank Stadium.

“You want to gain their respect in a different way, by playing against them,” Jones said. “I just go out, have fun and remind them who I am.”

If there was any doubt about who Jones is, he has proven it since signing with the Vikings as a free agent.

Although many expected him to decline as he reached age 30, Jones has shown he still has a lot left in the tank. He recently passed the 1,000-yard mark, a number he typically aims for when starting a campaign.

“It’s a big milestone,” Jones said. “Without these guys I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

Overall, Jones has 1,046 rushing yards and 348 receiving yards this season. He was a key point of contact for the Vikings on offense, made life easier for quarterback Sam Darnold and helped the Vikings secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

“You just get the same thing every day,” Darnold said. “It’s incredible to have him as a teammate.”

That feeling echoes throughout the locker room.

“He’s just a good person,” receiver Justin Jefferson said. “He always has a smile on his face. He always encourages the boys and gives us encouraging words before we go on the field. Even though he doesn’t have a “C” on his chest, he’s definitely a captain in my eyes.”

The way Jones carries himself off the field helps him make a big impact on the field. You can feel it almost every time he touches the ball for the Vikings.

“He was a great player for us,” tight end TJ Hockenson said. “I knew he played in this league throughout my career and played against him a lot. I knew what he could do. We still can’t believe he’s on our side. We love it and we’re so lucky to have him.”

It’s safe to assume Jones feels the same way about being a part of the Vikings. When Jones was asked to reflect on his experience so far with Minnesota, he replied, “This is probably the most fun I’ve ever had playing football.”