GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) 鈥� Green Bay Packers running back MarShawn Lloyd finally feels healthy enough to make an impact after limited him to just one game over his first two seasons.
So it鈥檚 easy to understand the exuberance he showed in practice Thursday by celebrating a touchdown with a backflip, even if it resulted in an admonishment from his coach.
鈥淚 love this game,鈥� Lloyd said. 鈥淚 love having fun.鈥�
Football wasn’t much fun the last couple of years for Lloyd, who went to Green Bay in the third round of the 2024 draft after a college career that included stops at South Carolina (2020-22) and Southern California (2023).
Lloyd appeared in only one game as a rookie and didn’t play last year as he dealt with multiple hamstring strains, and injuries to his ankle, calf and groin.
He’s now eager to help the Packers in an area of obvious need.
Three-time Pro Bowl running back has been practicing while whether to file charges against him following his May 26 on domestic abuse allegations. Lloyd has the most upside of any other Green Bay running back.
鈥淲hen he鈥檚 out there, he鈥檚 making plays and he鈥檚 turning heads,鈥� general manager Brian Gutekunst said. 鈥淎nd he always kind of has done that since he鈥檚 been here 鈥� when he鈥檚 been able to be out there.鈥�
Lloyd spent the offseason working in California with John Meyer, who also helps the NBA鈥檚 Los Angeles Clippers and NHL鈥檚 Los Angeles Kings with player health and performance.
That experience helped Lloyd understand what he needed to do to get his body ready for the season.
Lloyd says he feels like 鈥渁 kid in a candy store鈥� because he鈥檚 avoided setbacks thus far. He noted that Friday will mark the first time he鈥檚 been able to participate in Family Night, the open practice the Packers traditionally hold at Lambeau Field during the second week of training camp.
鈥淚鈥檝e always been on the side watching,鈥� Lloyd said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good to be out there. My family鈥檚 in town, so it鈥檚 good to actually let them see me practice and everything. It鈥檚 been a pretty special time.鈥�
The Packers want to make sure Lloyd still feels this good when the regular season arrives.
鈥淵ou never want to overload a guy, especially when it comes to a guy that鈥檚 been snakebit a little bit,鈥� coach Matt LaFleur said. 鈥淐ertainly I think he鈥檚 flashed the ability of he鈥檚 an explosive dude who can create some big, explosive plays. I think it鈥檚 just we鈥檝e got to continue to be smart and stick with the plan.鈥�
That means Lloyd won鈥檛 be doing any more backflips.
Lloyd said he got the idea after Green Bay鈥檚 wide receivers complained that the running backs weren鈥檛 celebrating touchdowns.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 dance, so I don鈥檛 know how to do all the dances they were doing,鈥� Lloyd said, 鈥渂ut I know how to do a backflip.鈥�
Lloyd said he started doing backflips at the age of 6. He performed one earlier this summer at a charity softball game run by Packers quarterback Jordan Love and edge rusher Micah Parsons.
His celebration drew the biggest reaction of Thursday鈥檚 practice.
鈥淚 kind of like started turning my back and then I heard everybody going crazy and saw him doing the flip,鈥� Love said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 impressive. I can鈥檛 do that myself.鈥�
Love, however, called the backflip 鈥渄icey鈥� because of the . LaFleur had a similar message for Lloyd.
鈥淗e said it was cool, but he said, 鈥楲et鈥檚 not do that,鈥欌�� Lloyd said.
Lloyd wants to reward the Packers’ faith in him. He believes other organizations wouldn鈥檛 have been so patient with someone who had played so little in his first two seasons.
鈥淣ow it鈥檚 my time to give back,鈥� Lloyd said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited. I鈥檓 ready to go. I鈥檓 going to show them why they picked me in the third round.鈥�
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