Four years after New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley stunned the NFL with his quads, Green Bay Packers running back A.J. Dillon is coming for the title.
Ever since his NFL debut, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has been heralded for an unmatched trait: his legs are built like tree trunks.
Barkley started trending once again last fall when his “SaQuads” were on full display during a Thursday Night Football game, but there’s another NFL running back making a case for Saquon’s distinctive title.
During offseason training, Green Bay Packers running back A.J. Dillon showed up and showed the world that he also refuses to skip leg day.
The Packers have dubbed the third-year running back “Quadzilla”, and Dillon appreciates the team embracing the nickname.
In addition to featuring his quads in his Twitter profile picture, Dillon boasted that he went “2-2” and rounded home plate twice during a charity softball game.
Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari went beyond giving Dillon a nickname, saying that Dillon embodies the dictionary definition of “Short-E-Thiccc.”
With Dillon’s quads making the rounds throughout the NFL, there’s now a question of who is the NFL’s true quad king: Saquon Barkley or A.J. Dillon?
A.J. Dillon reminds the NFL world that he’s coming for Saquon Barkley’s title
This “news” isn’t exactly news: A.J. Dillon has been making headlines for his enormous legs ever since he was drafted with the No. 62 pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Packers head coach Matt Lafleur marveled at his legs back in August 2020 — and that’s coming from someone who once coached Tennessee Titans bulldozer Derrick Henry.
Last June, Dillon clarified that he’s named each of his quads: one is “Quadzilla”, and the other is “The Quadfather.” Dillon also proclaimed that he wields the best legs in the league.
PFF cruelly compared Dillon to starting Packers running back Aaron Jones during last year’s offseason training — but of course, Jones’ success proves that muscle size isn’t integral to being skilled at the running back position.
Still, Dillon’s quads certainly propel him as he develops behind Jones on the roster, and Packers fans can expect to see more of Dillon and his monstrous quads this season. In Dillon’s second year, he played in all 17 games, racking up 803 yards on 187 carries for five touchdowns. Like Jones, Dillon is also an effective pass-catcher, catching 34 of 37 targets for 313 yards.
Dillon has proven in his time with the Packers that it’s not just his quads that are unmatched: his catch rate of 92 percent makes him one of the most formidable and versatile players they could employ in their backfield.
