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LB A.J. Hawk (2x All-American, Lombardi Trophy, National Champion, Super Bowl Champion)

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A.J. Hawk: Up and down season in which he saw his playing time drop to fewer than 10 snaps in some games and increase to nearly every snap in others. With the team at full strength, was limited to just the base defense. Played decent against the run and ranked second on the team with 87 tackles but once again struggled mightily in coverage, giving up completions a team-high 71.4 percent of the time he was targeted but didn?t give up a touchdown. With salary and bonuses totaling $4.6 million next season, it?s not a given that the former fifth pick in the draft will return.
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Grading the Green Bay Packers defense: Woodson, Jolly, Matthews shine | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette

A.J. Hawk: Played almost every snap from 2006-'08, but this year Chillar replaced him in the nickel when healthy. After a slow start, Hawk came on and played well until slipping the last three or four games. Scouts for teams with poor LBs regard Hawk highly as an interior stuffer and athlete. But he also lacks sideline-to-sideline range (see playoff game) and struggles in one-on-one coverage underneath. His blitzing (70 attempts, three pressures) was the worst on the team. Base salary will increase from $3.025 million to $4.124 million in 2010, which is a lot to pay for an early-down ILB.
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2009 Player grades: Defense - JSOnline
 
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Green Bay Packers' contract escalators make Hawk, Grant costly to keep
BY PETE DOUGHERTY ? [email protected] ? February 8, 2010

Even after signing Brandon Chillar to a four-year, $21 million contract extension in December, the Green Bay Packers appear prepared to pay former first-round draft pick A.J. Hawk $4.6 million for the 2010 season to possibly share playing time with Chillar at inside linebacker.

Hawk was a starter last season in the Packers? new 3-4 defense, but when Chillar was healthy, he usually replaced Hawk on passing downs.

Hawk?s 2010 salary is $4.1 million after he reached playing-time escalators earlier in his career, and he?s also due a $500,000 workout bonus. Considering Chillar?s contract extension and the possibility that Desmond Bishop offers an alternative to share time at that position, the Packers had to think about whether Hawk was worth $4.6 million this year.

However, if the Packers approach Hawk about a pay cut, he almost certainly would refuse and take his chances on the open market. Hawk?s agent, Mike McCartney, on Monday said he?s spoken with Packers officials this offseason and the team has decided it?s better off paying the premium for quality depth.

?They?re not going to ask (for a pay cut),? McCartney said. ?They think A.J. is a very important part of their football team. I have full confidence that A.J. is going to have a big year next year, and I think they have the same kind of confidence.?
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Green Bay Packers' contract escalators make Hawk, Grant costly to keep | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette
 
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Buckskin86;1677500; said:
For Buckeyes, Only Diebler's Stomach Gets Upset -- NCAABB FanHouse
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Wait a tic, AJ Hawk's wife is Brady Quinn's sister!?!?!?! I was unaware.

p1_lauraquinn.jpg


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senorbuckeye;1677855; said:
The press covers what sells. Feel free to direct your blame at the mass's base desire to know about celebrities.
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May be true but not always.

Say a story broke and Sports Center played it only on their AM SC. Then left it alone. I bet you that story ends pretty soon.

On ther other hand... you see that story on AM sports center, ESPNEWS, ESPN2, afternoon shows on ESPN, Evening SC and same thing next few days. Not to mention all day on ESPN radio. Every show host says he's tired of it but has to cover it. They keep it alive.
 
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What is your feeling on the way A.J. Hawk and Nick Barnett played last year: First, talking about A.J, I think A.J. did some really, really good things just going through the scheme evaluation, particularly in the base. I know he wants to be on the field all the time, I respect that, I understand that, but that?s really up to him as far as the competition. I think that linebacker group is as competitive a position on our football team. You have four individuals there that can probably all can play all three downs. So it?s a very competitive group, and no different for Nick. He?s going to be better another year into the defense. There?s some mistakes that Nick made early in the year just one particular technique that him and I talked about after the season that he didn?t get comfortable (with) until after the season. That?s really, those are the type of hurdles you have to jump over in the first year. That?s normal. Definitely with him being here in the offseason, he?ll be much better off. And we?re going to try to be creative with those guys, keeping those guys on the field in sub. I think both Nick and Brandon Chillar have outside pass-rush ability. I?m not saying we?re going to do it all the time, but it?s definitely an option for us that we?ve talked about.
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Some leftovers from McCarthy - JSOnline
 
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AJ Hawk Talks About Nebraska in the Big Ten
Posted: Jun 11, 2010
Featured Video
AJ Hawk Talks About Nebraska in the Big Ten by Jayson Geiser

STEVENS POINT (WAOW) - Packers linebacker AJ Hawk was in Stevens Point Thursday night, helping with the Opening Ceremonies of the Wisconsin Special Olympics Summer Games.

Hawk is a former All-American at Ohio State, which of course is a member of the Big Ten.

After signing autographs for fans, Hawk was kind enough to spend a few minutes with me on camera. One of the topics he discussed was the "possible" addition of Nebraska to the Big Ten...which became reality one day later. Click on the video link to your left to hear Hawk's comments.
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AJ Hawk Talks About Nebraska in the Big Ten - WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, Sports

AJ comments on Nebraska to B10
 
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Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk strives for greater impact
By Rob Demovsky ? [email protected] ? June 22, 2010

A.J. Hawk thinks it might be time for him to take some chances.

For four years, the Green Bay Packers linebacker has been solid, if unspectacular, even by his own admission. In many cases, that would be acceptable. But for a player picked fifth overall in the draft, more is expected.

So, as Hawk prepares for his fifth NFL season, he?s knows it?s time to take his game to the next level.

?This will be my fifth year, and I just want to come out and have an impact and make some big plays and try to change the tide of games,? Hawk said. ?Of course, I want to be consistent as always. But I feel like I know the scheme even better this year, and I think I will be able to find a way not to steal plays necessarily, but when you can take chances and jump on routes and do different things.?

Coaches often cringe when they hear players say things like that but at this point, Hawk?s position coach, Winston Moss, appears to be OK with it.

?As his coach, I coach him to be where he?s supposed to be and do what he?s supposed to do,? Moss said during a break in the team?s minicamp this week. ?But to be quite frank, sometimes when he sees something, he?s just going to have to go get it. It?s as simple as that. When he feels it or anticipates it or sees it, he?s going to have to go outside the box.?

He just better be correct.

?If he is, I?ll pat him on the back,? Moss said. ?If not ? ?
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The Packers felt compelled to keep Hawk around even though his base salary for this season escalated to $4.123 million. He also received a $500,000 workout bonus. Hawk is under contract through next season but considering his base salary for 2011 is $10 million, it?s hard to imagine the Packers retaining him under those terms even if there?s a significant spike in his level of play. The $10 million salary for 2011 would become guaranteed if he?s on the roster on the first day of the league year in 2011, which will be sometime in March, assuming there?s a new collective bargaining agreement.

Hawk?s agent insisted last season that they wouldn?t be open to taking a pay cut for 2010, but they might have to be more flexible in 2011, even if he has a breakout year.

?I just want to do the things that I know that I can and at certain times I haven?t done or haven?t been as consistent with,? Hawk said. ?Just make impact plays all the time. That?s something I?m figuring out.?
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Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk strives for greater impact | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette
 
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Former Centerville, OSU star A.J. Hawk in town for fundraiser
By Tom Archdeacon, Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 30, 2010

A.J. Hawk was talking about making an impact this year.

While he meant on the football field ? where his playing time as a Green Bay Packers linebacker was reduced last season ? he certainly will be doing so Friday night, July 2, at the St. Charles Gymnasium in Kettering.

At ?An Evening with A.J. Hawk,? he?s appearing ? along with former Ohio State teammate and Tennessee Titans center Doug Datish ? from 6 to 9 p.m. to help raise funds for a new playground at the Catholic school on Ackerman Boulevard.

Open to everyone, admission is $25 for adults and $15 for children 12 and younger. For a small fee, Hawk will sign autographs and pose for pictures, with all proceeds going to the playground fund. The event includes pizza and refreshments, and Hawk and Datish will take part in a question-and-answer session with the crowd.

?This won?t be like dealing with the media,? Hawk said with something of a laugh. ?The best part about kids is that they ask anything, and they don?t worry about being politically correct.

?They ask about my hair. The kind of car I drive. What I?m doing that afternoon. They?re a lot of fun.?
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Former Centerville, OSU star A.J. Hawk in town for fundraiser
 
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Don't count Hawk out as Packers starter
Aug. 7, 2010
Benny Sieu

Green Bay ? Before fans, media and anybody with an opinion about the Green Bay Packers linebacker group demands Desmond Bishop be a starter, they should remember that the strong inside position is still A.J. Hawk's.

It was just an intrasquad scrimmage, but based on the way Hawk shot around the field and Bishop got scorched in the passing game by tight end Jermichael Finley, one shouldn't count Hawk out of anything just yet.

"As far as proving myself, I've always felt I had to do that," Hawk said. "I don't feel pressure to do that. It's not do or die. But it's no secret I'd like to be on the field the whole game."

Bishop has taken over Hawk's nickel linebacker spot - although they played together Saturday because Nick Barnett was held out - but what the coaches saw had to scare them a little. Granted it was Finley, a tight end few linebackers in the NFL can cover, beating Bishop, but it was a good test on how he'll play coverage.

Hawk, meanwhile, got off to a strong start playing in the nickel, sacking quarterback Matt Flynn for a 7-yard loss, dropping running back Quinn Porter for a 1-yard loss and playing solid coverage in four three-and-out series between the No. 1 defense and No. 2 offense.

Later in the 2-minute drill that pitted the No. 1 offense against the No. 1 defense, Hawk stopped a long drive in its tracks when on third and 1 at the 5-yard line, he shot through a gap without hesitation, took on fullback John Kuhn and dropped running back Ryan Grant for a 4-yard loss.

To be fair, Kuhn would have cut Hawk at the legs if it were a regular-season game, but Hawk still played it aggressively, recognizing that if he didn't shoot past Kuhn, Grant would be off to the races.

"In the defense we were in, that was a vulnerable spot, and I knew I had to fill the lane quick or it wouldn't give our defense a chance to stop them," Hawk said. "Me and Kuhn had a good collision for both of us. I ricocheted and was able to make the tackle. It's one of those plays, it's either going to be a touchdown or a tackle for loss."
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Don't count Hawk out as Packers starter - JSOnline
 
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