Asked Packers WR Geronimo Allison today about Jordy Nelson’s retirement and what he meant to him when he came into the league as an undrafted rookie in 2016, and Allison talked uninterrupted for nearly 3 minutes: “Most importantly what I learned from Jordy is how to be a pro. I know a lot of guys say that but what it means to me is how I go about my business every day – with a smile on face, ready to work and wanting to get better. How can I make an improvement? How can I help the man next to me, help my quarterback, help my teammates from all aspects? We used to have wide receiver dinners together where each veteran wide receiver would host and we’d unwind, talk about life, maybe watch a Thursday night football game or something. But those are things that I’m going to always remember and be thankful for Jordy instilling in me – how to be a young man and how to go about my business. From watching him roll out and stretch before a workout when everybody else is already up starting the working, he’s the last one still making sure that his muscles were loose and ready to go; to having a relationship with Aaron and talking through things if he may have a suggestion to be able to go to the leader and jot down some things and be on the same page; to helping the young guys, the rookies coming in who don’t know where to start or how to learn or how to study defenses or how to study offense; to being up in front of the room and guiding them in the right directions. Little things that Jordy did with me helped shaped me and how I’m going to be a veteran to some of the guys coming up behind me. I sat back and watched him be a father and a husband, and he’s been a great father to his kids and a great husband to his wife. Just like the little things that he does with his kids and his family are things that I watch in the background and I pick up on and I’m thankful for that. Same with [Randall] Cobb, too. Both of those guys, I can honestly say I’m so thankful for those guys being the leaders when I was a rookie and teaching me the ropes coming into the league, that I’m very appreciative of that because it could have been a lot of different. But those are two great guys to have as brothers and as friends for a lifetime.”
