Minnesota Vikings defensive end Pat Jones II is teaming up with Polaris and Call of Duty to highlight the latest brand collaboration between the global leader in Powersports and one of the world’s leading video game developers, all while giving back to veterans by raising funds for Call of Duty Endowment.
Jones grew up around the military as his father served in the Navy. He played college football at the University of Pittsburgh, earned All-American honors and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2021. He has recorded 12 sacks and 100 combined tackles during his NFL career.
WATM down with Pat to talk about his military childhood, his football career and his latest collab with Polaris and Call of Duty.
WATM: Can you share about your life growing up around the military?
I was actually born in Yokosuka, Japan, on a military base, so my military upbringing started right away. My dad worked in IT and communications with the United States Navy, so I spent most of my childhood moving around between countries like Japan and Italy while my dad was working on aircraft carriers. Moving around my whole life helped me adjust to different situations. That helped me tremendously when I first came into the NFL. I see how much work veterans put in daily, and I saw that through my dad’s 30 years of service in the Navy. My dad is the type of person who will run headfirst into any difficult situation and help others – he taught me to look out for others and the military played a big role in that mindset.
WATM: How did the military influence your football career?
Believe it or not, Japan has Friday Night Lights and there are a few NFL players who grew up on military bases and had their first glimpse of football overseas. My introduction to football came from my cousins who were living back in the States. I’d call them from Japan and hear all about their football games and it sounded like so much fun. I also have family in North Carolina, so when I’d visit them from Japan, I’d get to play football, and I really was introduced to it down in Virginia when my dad was stationed there. In high school, I loved playing it, went on to play at Pitt, and then I’ve worked incredibly hard and am grateful to play in Minnesota, where we have a great fanbase and it really feels like home. When I first came to the Vikings, we were under a different GM and coach, and I just had to learn and adjust to that. Any NFL player will tell you that adapting is a huge part of the game – I’ve had to adapt to new spots on the field, different defensive positions and I think growing up in a military family played a huge role in that mentality. One minute, I was in Japan, then I was in Jacksonville, then back to Japan. The concept of home for me has always been wherever my family is, and I think a lot of military families can relate to that feeling.
WATM: What is your favorite experience with Call of Duty and how did you get involved?
I’ve been playing Call of Duty since I was a kid, probably since one of the first editions was released. It’s really the only game I play. I’m very proud to have teamed up with Polaris and Call of Duty because we’ve been able to use our platforms to promote helping military families with issues like employment and general community support. The Call of Duty Endowment’s mission is to help veterans across the country with job placement following their service, so when the opportunity came to me, it was a no-brainer given how important of a role the military has played in my life. In December, we had a great win over the Cardinals and Polaris surprised two veterans on the field at halftime with brand new Polaris RZRs – the vehicles are actually in the new Call of Duty game, so I’ve been rolling around the map with my friends in the RZR and it’s been really fun to use. I also had the opportunity to play the game live with two Minnesota veterans which was a blast heading into Thanksgiving. We were able to just relax, talk about football, military and off-roading, and those guys could play! Any time I can give back to military families and veterans, I jump at the opportunity.
WATM: What are your future plans with Call of Duty? Following the surprise on the field, I’m looking forward to continuing to play Call of Duty and seeing how the franchise progresses. I’m also looking forward to seeing how the fundraising for Call of Duty Endowment goes and encourage fans to head to Alltroo.com/CODE to donate to the Call of Duty Endowment for a chance to win a brand new Polaris RZR, and I highly encourage you all to check it out because it’s a great cause and initiative to support our military and their loved ones.
Polaris surprised the same two Minnesota veterans with brand new Polaris RZRs on the field. Dylan Gott is a huge Vikings fan and a passionate Call of Duty player. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2005, heading to MCRD San Diego for training, where he became a Communications Specialist. Dylan served until 2007, and he credits the Corps for shaping the life he leads today. A big fan of Warzone, he tries to play every day and has a special connection to the classic COD maps that remind him of his military days. His favorite COD game is Modern Warfare 2, where he hit 7th prestige and spent countless hours playing. Jon Nieto is a Marine Corps veteran who served from 2009 until April 2024, with a background in IT and deployments to Libya, Romania, and Latvia. Originally stationed at Camp Lejeune, Nieto’s time in the Corps shaped his skills and experiences, giving him a unique perspective. He recently relocated to Minnesota from Miami. Jon is a big fan of the Call of Duty franchise, especially the Black Ops series. Gaming is a family affair for him, too, as he often teams up with his wife.
Watch the surprise gift to the two USMC veterans here:
