Aaron Jones Sr. plays through another injury to lead Vikings against Lions

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Running back Aaron Jones Sr. said he first felt pain in an ankle, then a knee, followed by a hip that “locked up” on him when he was tackled by Lions linebacker Jack Campbell in the second quarter of the Vikings’ 23-10 Christmas Day victory.

Campbell’s form looked like an illegal hip-drop tackle. After he was evaluated by the Vikings medical staff and hobbled off the field, Jones returned and asked officials why the play wasn’t penalized.

“The league doesn’t want us penalizing hip-drops,” Jones said an official told him. “They’ll send him a fine. I’m like, ‘OK, then why make that a penalty?’ ”

With Jordan Mason out because of an ankle injury, the Vikings (8-8) have needed the 31-year-old Jones, and he has answered the bell. Despite playing through ankle and hip injuries, Jones has handled 44 touches within a five-day span in victories against the Giants and Lions.

Jones was a featured part of coach Kevin O’Connell‘s game plan for rookie backup quarterback Max Brosmer, who struggled through the air.

Jones got the ball on 14 of the Vikings’ first 24 plays, finishing with 21 touches for 63 yards and a rushing touchdown. The team captain credited his toughness to his parents and playing college ball at the University of Texas-El Paso, where “if we wanted a chance to win, I kind of had to play.”

Fullback C.J. Ham expressed his gratitude for Jones as other veterans with guaranteed money might have shut it down for the season by now.

“I looked at him today and said I appreciated him,” Ham said. “There’s not enough words I can say about the man he is and the character he has and how much he cares about us and doing it for his brothers.”

The Vikings run game churned out 158 yards as the only functioning part of the offense. The highlight: receiver Jordan Addison’s 65-yard rushing touchdown via a jet sweep. The key on that play, according to Jones, was how the Lions defense flowed to the initial play fake: an outside zone run to running back Ty Chandler.

“They don’t see that [Chandler] doesn’t have the ball until Aidan Hutchinson tried to play out,” Jones said. “After that, it’s too late. [Addison] is so fast.”

Chandler got his first carries of the season in the third quarter. He revealed that he returned from knee surgery in September that was required after an injury suffered in the season-opening victory at Chicago.

“I’m feeling grateful,” he said. “To be playing again with these guys, this group, it’s a special group. I’ve been looking forward to it.”

Returner Myles Price suffered a non-contact ankle injury on the opening kickoff and did not return. Receiver Jalen Nailor replaced Price at punt returner, and Tai Felton served as kick returner.

Defensive tackle Elijah Williams was also left the game with an ankle injury in the second quarter and did not return.

Blake Brandel started for right tackle Brian O’Neill, who was inactive due to a heel injury that he played through Dec. 21 against the Giants.

Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill exited the game in the first half due to an abdominal injury. Detroit lost linebacker Alex Anzalone in the second half due to a concussion. Lions left tackle Taylor Decker did not play because of an illness.

Fans cheered Jefferson’s achievement when he was shown on the videoboards, but he shook his head and didn’t look up.

“Especially the way this year has gone,” he said, “I’m more focused on this team bonding as one.”

Jefferson heads into the season finale against the Packers 53 yards shy of his sixth consecutive 1,000-yard season.

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