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

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Green Bay Packers LB A.J. Hawk serviceable, not flashy
By Eric Baranczyk and Cliff Christl ? Press-Gazette correspondents ? September 20, 2010

After not playing a defensive snap in the Green Bay Packers? season opener a week ago, linebacker A.J. Hawk returned to the lineup on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills and rushed the passer better than usual.

In a review of the game film in the Packers? 34-7 victory, Hawk was there and applied pressure. A lot of times in the past, you?d see him run into an offensive lineman and that was it. Even in pass coverage when Hawk played in the nickel defense, he didn?t give up anything.

And what he always does well in the running game is he gets in the right position. In your run fits, you don?t have to make the tackle, you just have to be in your spot.

But he never gets the blow-up tackle. He tackles everybody high. You?d rather see him tackle people around the waist instead of up around the numbers. Bottom line: He wasn?t flashy, but he?s a serviceable linebacker. He doesn?t hurt you. Some people might say he makes all his tackles downfield, but those are hustle plays, too.

Hawk and fellow inside linebacker Nick Barnett ran by the quarterback too many times.

Barnett, in some ways, is just the opposite of Hawk. He plays faster than Hawk. But he has a tendency to do too much straight-on.

Instead of running in there like a missile and going for the big shot, he?d be better off sometimes getting under control and just making the tackle. But Barnett looks like he?s playing faster than last year now that he?s a year removed from the knee injury. And he had a really solid game. Like Hawk, he certainly didn?t hurt them.
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http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com...mn-An-in-depth-analysis-of-Packers-Bills-game
 
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Updated: October 27, 2010
Drawing a line between old friends
Pals and rivals from pee-wees to the pros, Mangold and Hawk face off Sunday
Cimini By Rich Cimini
ESPNNewYork.com

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AP Photo/David Stluka
Jets center Nick Mangold and Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk grew up less than five miles apart.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- When New York Jets center Nick Mangold crouches into his stance Sunday and scans the Green Bay Packers' defense, he will see part of his childhood.

A few yards away from Mangold will be A.J. Hawk, the Packers' left inside linebacker. They go as far back as two football players can go, back to playgrounds and pee-wee leagues. Back to Centerville, Ohio, circa 1995, and the Centerville Elks, their sixth-grade team.

Mangold was the big kid in the neighborhood and the best lineman, and Hawk was a man-among-boys linebacker, crazy intense. Some things don't change.

They grew up less than five miles apart in a small town near Dayton, lived together for four years at Ohio State, became first-round draft picks in 2006 and served as groomsmen in each other's weddings. Their parents are friends, too, and occasionally bump into each other around Centerville.

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Scott Boehm/Getty Images
A.J. Hawk once accepted Nick Mangold's challenge to drink a gallon of milk in an hour. (He did it, but it wasn't pretty.)

Now they prepare for the Battle of Centerville, Part II. Mangold owns a 1-0 lead, as the Jets routed the Packers in '06. The rematch figures to have a different feel because Hawk's role has changed. Green Bay has switched to a 3-4 defense, creating the potential for more head-to-head confrontations between the lifelong friends.

"It'll be weird beforehand," Mangold said, "but it'll be nice afterward."
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http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/columns/story?columnist=cimini_rich&id=5731334
 
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The team will also have to figure out what to do with starting inside linebacker A.J. Hawk, who is entering the final year of the rookie contract he signed as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. That deal calls for him to be guaranteed a $10 million base salary for 2011 if he?s on the roster when the league year begins, meaning the Packers will have to either work out an extension or release him, since there?s no earthly reason to pay the $10 million guaranteed, even as Hawk?s play has improved this season.
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http://www.channel3000.com/packers/26080056/detail.html
 
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Green Bay Packers LB A.J. Hawk steady through ups and downs
By Kareem Copeland ? [email protected] ? December 30, 2010

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A.J. Hawk admitted he?s no philosopher ? even though ancient Greeks would have admired the unkempt locks. But the Packers inside linebacker dropped his own brand of knowledge after practice Thursday afternoon.

?I?m not trying to sound philosophical ? I?m not crazy deep or anything like that,? Hawk prefaced. ?But I know the only thing I control is myself. There?s all this new age garbage going around, talking about all these self-help books or whatever. But really that stuff?s thousands of years old. Those guys had it figured out thousands of years ago ? why worry about what someone else is doing?

?Why waste my energy being mad at somebody? Or wanting revenge? You can?t wish something bad on anyone else. If I can?t control it, why waste my time? Because it?s not going to help me give 100 percent on the field, that?s for sure.?

Hawk?s plight is nothing new to Packers fans. He put up strong numbers in his first four seasons, but, to borrow a phrase from cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt, Hawk hasn?t had those ?splash plays.?

Well, not enough to please some ? both inside and outside of the organization ? as the No. 5 overall pick in 2006.

Hawk?s role was reduced when defensive coordinator Dom Capers was hired and brought in the 3-4 scheme. He started inside in the base package, but was replaced in the nickel ? which was used 60 percent of the time in 2009 and even more in 2010. In fact, Hawk never took a defensive snap in the season opener at Philadelphia as Brandon Chillar was on the field for nickel alignments.

Fifteen games later, Hawk rarely leaves the field and was awarded the defensive game-ball after recording six tackles and an interception in a 45-17 win over the Giants.

?A.J. was obviously wanting to play more before,? Capers said. ?I?m sure this brought a smile to his face. To me, it?s a great example, if you hang in there through the course of the season, ups and downs, and you keep working, when you have an opportunity, you take advantage of it.

?I know when a guy is picked as high in the draft as he was picked, everyone expects him to come in and be Superman. I?ve said all along, I think A.J.?s a good football player.?

Cont...
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http://packersnews.greenbaypressgaz...B-Hawk-steady-through-ups-and-downs-of-career
 
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