How the Packers hatched idea to throw ‘Skol’ chant back at Vikings

GREEN BAY – As he hurried toward Lambeau Field’s south end zone, unsure of what he’d do once he got there, Evan Williams had two voices speaking through the ear hole in his helmet.

The first came from Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. His suggestion was classic but unoriginal. After Williams intercepted Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy late in the fourth quarter, Cooper urged the safety to do a Lambeau Leap. He promised to have company. “Let’s go jump in the stands,” Cooper said into Williams’ left ear. In any other setting, it would have been a good idea.

Fortunately, as iconic moments go, there was the second voice in his right ear.

It came from nickel back Javon Bullard. Early last week, Bullard recommended the Packers defense throw the Vikings’ “Skol” chant back in their face. Williams had the football now, heading toward the end zone, completely forgetting the celebration hatched during the week.

“You’ll see if you look back,” Williams said, “I’m running down, and I’m kind of thinking about what to do. Immediately, Bull was right in front of me. He’s looking back at me, like, ‘Oh, we’ve got to do this.’”

What followed was perhaps the only socially acceptable Skol chant in Lambeau Field history. Williams clapped both hands above his helmet as teammates gathered around him, bending their hips for extra emphasis, laughing as they trolled. Bullard, safety Xavier McKinney and linebacker Isaiah McDuffie joined in the Skol. Cornerback Kamal Hadden arrived seconds later. Even Cooper relented and went with the chant.

There was a smattering of Vikings fans sitting front row, which was precisely the point. A year ago, Bullard was unaware of the Vikings’ signature chant. He quickly became acquainted when the Vikings traveled to Lambeau Field in Week 4. During their 31-29 win against the Packers, Vikings fans filled Lambeau Field with the Skol chant.

The echo seared into Bullard’s memory as a rookie.

“That [expletive] was pretty hard,” Bullard said. “So I said, you know what, we gonna get a [turnover]. I don’t know who it’s going to be, but we’re going to get a turnover. And when we do that, we’re going to get a Skol chant.”

Williams’ interception didn’t just seal the 23-6 win in the Vikings’ return to Lambeau Field. It capped a dominant afternoon for the Packers defense, leaving McCarthy overwhelmed. The first-year starting quarterback completed 12 of 19 passes for only 87 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions, a 34.2 passer rating. His first interception was thrown to linebacker Isaiah McDuffie over the middle with defensive end Rashan Gary rushing him off the edge.

Bullard led the charge to the south end zone after McDuffie’s pick, but the Packers defense merely congregated in the corner, jiving with fans. He made sure Williams would do something more memorable after the second pick.

“We just got a turnover, man,” Bullard said. “I feel like we can do anything we want to do at that point when we gave the ball back to the offense. It’s just fun. It’s all love for the game, it’s all passion at the end of the day, and it’s competitive.

“I’m pretty sure if we had something to do, they’d do it, too. All the [expletive] they did last year with the celebrations in the end zone.”

Bullard hadn’t shared his idea with everyone. McKinney saw Bullard lean into Williams’ ear as they ran, but he didn’t know what was about to transpire. When they reached the end zone, McKinney decided to blend in. “I was just following along,” he said. It wasn’t until he went back to check the film afterward that McKinney saw the Vikings fans standing motionless in front of him, thoroughly unamused.

McKinney might not have been involved in the play, but it’s one he’ll remember.

“The framed picture that they got,” McKinney said, “it’s crazy. The frame is tough. When you see the frame, that’s one of the ones that you frame and put up. That was a special moment, I ain’t gonna lie. That was a hell of a feeling.”

This article originally appeared on Packers News: How Packers hatched idea to throw ‘Skol’ chant back at Vikings