Hawk and the Packers appeared in Super Bowl XLV against the Pittsburgh Steelers at the end of the 2010 season. In the Super Bowl XLV, Hawk helped his team secure a 31–25 win, he was a starter and recorded five total tackles in the ultimate dream showdown for any aspiring player. The Packers let Hawk go on March 2, 2011, but the star player resigned the following day on March 3, 2011, in order to usher in a new five-year deal. One of his low points was in 2011 when Hawk was fined $10,000 by the NFL. The reason for the exorbitant fine was for making an obscene gesture against the St. Louis Rams.

Hawk decided to restructure his contract in March 2013, but the restructuring reduced his 2013 salary from $5.45 million to $3.6 million, not exactly what the NFL star was hoping for. The restructuring also affected his 2014 salary which was reduced by $2.5 million. His 2015 salary was also reduced by nearly $3 million. All in all, the total value of the three years remaining on Hawk's deal is reduced by from $17.85 million to $10.6 million. On February 25, 2015, Hawk was released by the Packers. Hawk led the team in tackles in five of his nine seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

On January 7, 2017, Hawk appeared on a podcast with Albert Breer where he unexpectedly announced his retirement. On April 18, 2017, Hawk told Packers' general manager Ted Thompson that he decided to retire from the NFL. Packers' general manager Ted Thompson said of Hawk's decision, "The first thing that needs to be said about A.J. Hawk is that he is a good man. He was a terrific teammate and a true professional during his career, and we were lucky to have him. A.J. will always be a Packer. We wish the best to him and the entire Hawk family, and thank them for all that they gave to the team and the city of Green Bay."

Personal life:

Hawk's passion for football led him to Laura Quinn who happened the sister of former NFL quarterback Brady Quinn. The last time Hawk played with the Buckeyes was in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame, Quinn was also playing at the time. During the game, Laura showed her creativity and support for both her brother and Hawk by wearing a custom-made jersey with half Ohio State and half Notre Dame. 

Quinn even combined Brady's number 10 and Hawk's Number 47, making the number 17. Hawk even managed to sack his future brother-in-law Quinn twice during the game and was recognized as co-Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the bowl. Hawk seemed interested in proving to Quinn that he was a competent and capable player and a good match for his sister. The showdown ended with an Ohio State victory.

December 4, 2010, Laura had the couple's first child, a girl who they named Lennon Noel. A short time later in January 2013, the couple welcomed their second child, a boy they would name Hendrix Knight. Hawk has a net worth of $25 million with his single highest salary being $5,100,000 dollars. The most valuable contract he had was worth $21.9 million. Hawk currently hosts a podcast called "The HawkCast" and co-hosts "Laces Out", presented by Barstool Sports, with Pat McAfee and Jerry Thornton.