Packers rookie sounds horribly suited for Green Bay with unique allergy

The Green Bay Packers selected Duke offensive lineman Jacob Monk with the No. 163 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The fifth-rounder boasts experience, athleticism, and versatility. As a five-year starter with the Blue Devils, Monk logged snaps at center, right guard, and right tackle. He doesn’t have the ideal size or strength, but he possesses a Raw Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.76.

While Monk projects as a backup interior offensive lineman, Green Bay has a history of developing late-round picks into quality starters. After all, at least one undrafted rookie free agent has made the Packers 53-man roster for 19 consecutive seasons.

Packers OL Jacob Monk had an allergic reaction to the cold

Green Bay is known for its cold weather. The coldest game in NFL history, for example, took place at Lambeau Field in 1967. Dubbed the “Ice Bowl,” the game featured the Dallas Cowboys against the Packers in -13 degrees Fahrenheit.

That sort of weather doesn’t seem ideal for an offensive lineman who broke out in hives from sitting in a cold tub. In a 2022 interview, Monk described his first foray into the cold water. 

“I’m very allergic to cold water,” Monk said. “So, a quick story, before we played Alabama my freshman year, I decided it would be a good idea to hop in the cold tub. I was like, ‘This is really cold!’ I didn’t know it would be that cold. I get out of the cold tub and go shower, and I’m just itching. I’ve got a lot of hives everywhere, and then after I get out of the shower, I end up passing out in the locker room.”

On Saturday, Monk addressed the allergic reaction and reassured the Green Bay media that he would be fine in the inclement weather. 

“So, before my first start, first-ever game against Alabama, I got in the cold tub and found out I was allergic to cold water,” Monk said. “I ended up getting some hives before the game, before we flew out. Yeah, that was something to learn, I guess.”

“I can drink cold water,” he added. “I can be in the snow and all that. I think I probably just stayed out there for a little too long. It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the snow. I’m not afraid of the cold. I’m not afraid of cold water. I feel like the temperature had to be just right for me to sit there for that long. But I’m not worried about being in the cold at all, honestly.”

Teams conduct thorough investigations into prospects before drafting them. These investigations include medical checks and background checks that go as far as interviewing elementary school teachers or high school janitors. It’s what you’d expect from a team that’s about to invest millions of dollars into a player. If Green Bay felt confident drafting Monk, they likely weren’t too concerned about the fifth-round pick’s cold tub experience. 

Packers vice president of personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan quelled the panic as well.

“I heard about that,” Sullivan said. “Not a concern for us. Let’s just make sure he doesn’t go ice fishing.”

If Green Bay gets what it wants, Monk will be playing at Lambeau Field during a deep postseason run, when it will undoubtedly be cold.