GREEN BAY, Wis. — It’s not often NFL coaches display the candor that Packers running backs coach Ben Sirmans did last week.

The team’s longest-tenured coach was preparing for a decision to start either Josh Jacobs, one of the NFL’s best running backs, or Emanuel Wilson, a 2023 undrafted running back out of Division II Fort Valley State with zero career starts.

Jacobs suffered a knee contusion four days prior against the Giants and with a Thanksgiving afternoon visit to Detroit looming on a short week, Wilson toting the rock against the Vikings was a distinct possibility. Not long ago, Sirmans wouldn’t even consider relying on Wilson like he was about to.

“There’s been a major maturation point (from) what he was and to what he is now,” Sirmans said. “I didn’t trust him at all his rookie year to go in the game, but now I do.”

The trust Sirmans and head coach Matt LaFleur had in Wilson paid off. The third-year running back became the team’s first 100-yard rusher this season, carrying 28 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns in Green Bay’s 23-6 win over Minnesota (he also caught two passes for 18 yards). The Packers don’t quite have a running back controversy, but Sunday proved they might at least have one of the league’s best backfield insurance policies.

“I thought Emanuel’s performance was immaculate,” wide receiver Romeo Doubs said. “It’s something we see week in and week out and he did a fantastic job of coming in, filling in the shoes of Josh Jacobs.”

LaFleur was asked last week about Wilson’s ascension from an undrafted Division II guy to a reliable NFL backup. He mentioned how he “got on Wilson pretty good” during his 2023 rookie season. That might’ve been underselling it. Wilson was asked about LaFleur’s coaching two years ago and smiled.

“He gave me hell, like, literally,” Wilson said, noting his pass protection skills and reads on outside zone runs were lacking. “He gave me hell.”

Wilson said he endured hard coaching in high school and college, during which he attended both Johnson C. Smith University and Fort Valley State, but not like what LaFleur threw his way. Wilson, however, didn’t crumble under the pressure, instead taking it to heart and showcasing vast improvement in his second season. To Shawn Gibbs, Wilson’s head coach at Fort Valley State, that was no surprise.

“Hard coaching is definitely something that is not gonna make him fold like it does a lot of people,” Gibbs said. “Coach LaFleur doing that probably helped him out more than anything ‘cause he doesn’t wanna let you down. He’s not that type of guy.”

After getting only 18 touches as a rookie (14 carries and four receptions), Wilson ran 103 times for 502 yards and four touchdowns last season, with 11 receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown catch. Not only that, but Sirmans said Wilson had just one missed assignment all last season and that came in the season opener against the Eagles in Brazil. So when 2024 third-round pick and penciled-in backup running back MarShawn Lloyd suffered yet another injury during the preseason, the Packers hardly had to scramble for insurance behind Jacobs.

Nor was it a daunting ask when, on Sunday morning as Wilson arrived at Lambeau Field, Sirmans told him he’d be making his first career start.

Wilson showcased his diverse arsenal as a running back against the Vikings. There was lateral quickness in the backfield to kick runs out wide after the middle was clogged, like on multiple third downs in the first half that Wilson converted for firsts. There were broken tackles and yards after contact in both the run and pass game, no such play more notable than bulldozing linebacker Blake Cashman on the goal line for his first of two scores (Wilson’s 3.36 yards after contact per rush ranked sixth among running backs with double-digit carries in Week 12, per TruMedia). There was his typical fluid running style and even timely pass protection, when Wilson helped hold off linebacker Eric Wilson for a deep passing play on which tight end Luke Musgrave drew a 24-yard defensive pass interference penalty.

Wilson’s complete effort earned him one of three individual game balls from LaFleur in front of the entire team.

“He wasn’t a Division II guy because he didn’t have the ability. He was just a Division II guy because he was overlooked,” Gibbs said. “I’ve thought for a while that he could be a starting running back somewhere in the NFL, knowing that he was good enough to play there.”

Added wide receiver Christian Watson: “He came out with a chip on his shoulder and something to continue to prove. He did everything we asked of him. Props to him. He was out there balling.”

Big time players making big time plays pic.twitter.com/FILZ4k5DCZ

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) November 23, 2025

When Wilson was a rookie, former Packers running back and current Viking Aaron Jones always told Wilson to believe in himself, that he made it to the NFL for a reason and belonged in the league. Before his first career start, Wilson had Jacobs in his ear, echoing a similar sentiment. Even so, Wilson admitted he was a little nervous pregame. LaFleur calmed his nerves, telling Wilson that he just had a more important title — No. 1 running back — to the same name and to go out there and be himself.

That’s exactly what Wilson did in his breakout performance, satisfying both ailing fantasy owners around the country and those inside the building who believed Wilson was capable of this if given a chance.

“To me, I’ve been doing it all my life,” Wilson said. “The achievement is great, but it’s on to the next.”

What’s next is a pivotal NFC North tilt with the Lions at Ford Field on Thanksgiving. Jacobs told reporters last week that the worst-case scenario for his knee injury is missing only one game, so expect him to return on Thursday.

He’s still the Packers’ feature back worthy of however many carries he gets, but Wilson proved why there’s no harm in feeding him the ball, too.

“He did a hell of a job, man,” LaFleur said. “It’s pretty cool to watch his progression since he got here and how far he’s come.”