Packers add pocket to Aaron Jones’ jersey to carry dad’s ashes

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin -- Thanks to some ingenuity by the Green Bay Packers' equipment staff, running back Aaron Jones now has a way to keep his late father's ashes close to him during Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, ESPN reports.

After Jones lost the medallion that contained Alvin Jones Sr.'s ashes during a Week 2 win over the Detroit Lions -- and then recovered it thanks to Packers athletic trainer Bryan Engel, who found it in the Lambeau Field end zone grass -- Jones had the ashes with him during last Sunday's win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Jones said longtime equipment manager Gordon "Red" Batty has since sewed a pocket inside Jones' No. 33 jersey.

"He put a pocket right on the left side," Jones said, pointing just above his heart. "So I can just drop it in there and not have to worry about it falling out. So I can play with it."

In fact, the game against the 49ers is the only time he's had his father's ashes with him since the chain broke.

"I think it's something I'll continue to do, just keep my dad with me everywhere I go," Jones said. "I wear it mostly at all time. Gotta get a new chain so I haven't been wearing it except for on Sundays, but I think it's definitely something I'll continue to do."

Alvin Jones Sr., of El Paso, died of Covid-19 complications in April at age 56.

"It just shows how special our staff is, and our support staff here with the Packers in Green Bay from the training staff to our equipment staff to [the] coaching staff to GM," Jones said on an episode of The Adam Schefter podcast that will air next week. "Just the whole time I've been experiencing this and dealing with this, they've been there for me from the funeral to this."

(This report comes from ESPN news services via ABC News)

#Packers equipment manager Red Batty built a pocket in @Showtyme_33’s jersey to hold the pendent containing his father’s ashes. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/kVQaLE1QJ3

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) October 3, 2021