GREEN BAY — As nicknames go, veteran linebacker and special teams leader Eric Wilson's — bestowed upon him by special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia — may be apropos, but it's, well, let's call it unusual. "Rich calls him 'Body Beautiful,'" Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur divulged after Sunday's 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts — a game in which Wilson played just eight defensive snaps but made three critical plays in that limited action. Informed that LaFleur had shared that little tidbit with reporters and asked if he would require everyone to call him "Body Beautiful" moving forward, Wilson laughed.
"It's a Rich thing," Wilson said. "But if you call me that, I'll smile." You can also call Wilson a variety of other things.
Among them? A surprisingly critical piece of new coordinator Jeff Hafley's defense, despite limited snaps; an example of an experienced player whose knowhow and savvy make him invaluable; and a man putting on a masterclass of how to maximize unexpected opportunities. But the nickname stems from Wilson's sculpted, Adonis-like physique, which — if you ask LaFleur — is about more than Wilson's washboard abs or bulging biceps. "Eric, he's just a consistent person.
He's very regimented in terms of his approach. You don't look like that if you're not disciplined," LaFleur said. "He's just consistent.
That's the best way I can describe him. He just goes out there and executes, and he does it in two phases of the game — on defense and then on (special) teams as well." Wilson, who will turn 30 next week, is in his eighth NFL season and third with the Packers.
He led Green Bay's special teams units in tackles each of the past two seasons, but in Hafley's defense, he has found a meaningful, if limited, role. "I love the guy," Hafley said during camp when asked how Wilson was holding off second-round draft pick Edgerrin Cooper and third-round pick Ty'Ron Hopper to start in Hafley's 4-3 scheme. "Forget him on the field for a second.
Off the field, he's one of the best guys you could be around. He's a pro — the way he sits in meeting rooms, takes notes, helps the younger guys, stays after, takes care of his body. "You see him show up on special teams, punching the ball out, which I showed to the defense the other day.
You see him showing up on defense, punching the ball out. He can play multiple positions, because he's a very smart player and he's reliable. "He's a guy that you can trust, that's going to go 100 miles an hour and know exactly what to do.
So, I'm very pleased with him. I'm a big fan." Hafley was certainly very pleased with Wilson on Sunday against the Colts, when during his eight-snap stint, Wilson made three big-time plays.
He forced a Jonathan Taylor fumble (which bounced out of bounds), intercepted an Anthony Richardson pass when he dropped into coverage against wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and brilliantly — and single-handedly — strung out a third-and-1 read-option play by defending Richardson and then running back Trey Sermon until the cavalry arrived to diffuse the play. "He did an outstanding job," LaFleur said.
"I just think he's a guy that pours his heart and soul into his work. He's a professional and gets better every day and knows what to do. I think that's a big part of it.
When given opportunities, he's gone in there and done pretty well for us." Before arriving in Green Bay, Wilson entered the league with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted rookie free agent from Cincinnati in 2017. He spent four seasons with the Vikings, then split the 2021 season between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans before landing in Green Bay.
Wilson saw action in all 19 games last season (including playoffs), but his most extensive action was on special teams, where he played 308 snaps (71.8%) compared to only 121 snaps (10.9%) on defense.
He finished with a team-best 11 tackles on special teams and 20 on defense. Through two games this season, Wilson has played nearly double the special teams snaps (41) as he's played defensive snaps (23). With Hafley running a 4-3 system but playing his five-defensive back nickel packages roughly 75% of the time so far, Wilson hasn't counted snaps — instead making his snaps count.
"It feels great, because I'm a linebacker first," said Wilson, who last played in a 4-3 in 2020, when he had three interceptions, forced two fumbles, recorded three sacks and led Minnesota with 122 tackles playing for defensive-minded coach Mike Zimmer. "So, to go out there and fly around, try to get the ball out, it's awesome to put that all together. It's fun.
It's fun." Wilson hit the free-agent open market before returning on a one-year, $1.38 million deal this spring.
And right now, given his on-the-field defensive and special-teams contributions and off-the-field veteran leadership presence, he's looking like quite the bargain. "It means a lot to have the opportunity, first and foremost, and then go out there and make the most of the opportunity," Wilson said. "I've said it before: Any way it is — on special teams, on defense — it doesn't matter.
I'm going to give it my all. It's awesome to go out there and make plays for our team. "I think if you're a guy who shows up with the right attitude, the right effort, the right preparation, the right work ethic, things will work out.
That's been my mindset ever since I set foot in this league." Green Bay Packers (1-1) at Tennessee Titans (0-2) Noon, Sunday Nissan stadium, Nashville TV: FOX Get local news delivered to your inbox!.
