Matt Schneidman of The Athletic wrote:For Green Bay Packers, Jordan Love’s time to shine has finally arrived
Not too long ago, Jordan Love wasn’t sure this day would ever come, the 24-year-old who’s ridden the bench the last three years standing at a podium inside Lambeau Field as the Packers’ starting quarterback.
Love knew what he was getting into when Green Bay drafted him in the first round in 2020. He knew who he was behind. He knew he’d have to sit and learn, that his desire — any player’s desire — to make plays right away would have to wait. But when Aaron Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million extension last March, Love wondered whether he’d do anything but sit and learn here in Green Bay.
“I’ll admit, I think the hardest time was when he re-signed the contract last year,” Love said during his first press conference as the Packers’ starting quarterback on Wednesday. “It was kinda like, ‘OK, well, where do we go from here? What do I do?’ And I think I sat back, thought to myself and just came back with the approach like, let’s just go ball out any opportunity I get. I’m gonna get preseason, and who knows what happens after that? So just grow and try and become the best version of myself and I can’t really control what happens after that, so let it play out.”
Love has let it play out, and it’s paid off. He’s the guy now. The quarterback for one of the most iconic franchises in sports. The next in line after the two first-ballot Hall of Famers who have preceded him.
Not only is Love following in the legendary footsteps of Brett Favre and Rodgers, but he’s playing to show the organization, the league, anyone watching, that he can be the next long-term starter in Green Bay. The contract extension Love recently signed truly only guarantees he’ll be the starter in 2023. He’ll likely get a two-year trial period, but nobody — not even Love himself or those who have watched him closest the last three years — know how good he’s going to be.
“I mean, it’s pressure,” Love said. “No matter where you’re going to be at, there’s going to be pressure. You’re an NFL quarterback. There’s only so many of you, so everyone’s watching you. Everyone’s watching every move you make on the field, so it’s pressure, but that’s what comes with the position. That’s what I signed up for. That’s what I knew I was getting myself into and it comes down to me just making the most of that.”
The Packers believe Love can be the guy because of what he showed in Rodgers’ shadow.
That picturesque throw in tight coverage to the right sideline against the Eagles on Sunday Night Football last year that Aaron Jones dropped? Jones has seen plenty of plays like that outside of the national spotlight. Love has seen plenty of looks from Green Bay’s No. 1 defense the last couple years, both when Rodgers didn’t report to last offseason’s voluntary OTAs and when Love took starter reps in practice while Rodgers nursed a broken thumb during last season.
“We see it daily,” Jones said. “Some balls, some dimes, everybody’s back there oohing and aahing.”
It’s not just what Love has done physically that has impressed his teammates, either.
“He believes in himself, first off,” Jones said. “That’s No. 1. You’ve got to believe in yourself or nobody else is going to believe in you, so he believes in himself, he cares about everybody around him and we’ve seen him just come in consistently and just work, work, work. As an athlete, you want to come in and play right away and that wasn’t Jordan’s case. He didn’t have that opportunity, and he did it the right way. He waited his time and you never heard one peep or complaint out of him. He has everyone’s respect and he works.
“We all love Jordan here, and like I said, he has everyone’s full respect and we’re all going to go lay it out on the line for him. … All the guys buy into him. He’s lovable. He’s funny. He’s caring. He has everything that you look for in a quarterback to command a room.”
“He came in, put in his work, doing a great job of leading us and all that kind of stuff,” defensive tackle Kenny Clark said. “Just handling his business how he normally do. Nothing but great things to say about Jordan.”
Love got together in California this offseason with Jones and wide receiver Romeo Doubs. Jones wanted to hone his timing with Love and get comfortable with him. That’s been the biggest difference for Love this offseason, he said, trying to get guys to visit California to practice with him, which has proven easier now that he’s the No. 1 QB. Love senses a buzz in the locker room now that he’s in charge. The normally soft-spoken kid who’s largely remained behind the scenes since he entered the league says he’s ready to be more vocal, to be the face of the franchise.
Perhaps he’s learned how to approach his newfound prominence from Rodgers, who has been one of the faces of the league for the past 15 years. Love and Rodgers have spoken since the Packers traded the four-time MVP to the Jets. Rodgers wished Love the best and said he’d always be there for him if he has questions.
For three years, Love watched Rodgers every day — how he handled business in the locker room, how he interacted with teammates, how he practiced. He observed his footwork, how the ball comes out of his right hand, how quickly he processes information on the field. It’s all been valuable to Love, who now must incorporate all that into his own game to stay afloat in the NFL.
“I have confidence in myself. I have confidence in the team. And we’re just going to take it day-by-day,” Love said. “I mean, I can’t say what might happen this year, what might happen next year. I mean, who knows?”
The Packers’ returning captains who spoke on Wednesday, Jones and Clark, both acknowledged that the expectations outside 1265 Lombardi Ave. won’t be the same for the Packers without Rodgers at the helm. They welcome that. An eagerness to perhaps prove those doubters wrong has already been evident in the short time since they returned to Green Bay for offseason work.
“When you prove people wrong, it’s one of the best feelings in the world,” Jones said. “I think that’s what we’re gonna do this year, prove a lot of people wrong.”
That’s part of the intrigue of this next chapter. It could crash and burn. It could be just OK. But it could also be triumphant, Love even flashing why he could be the next great quarterback to don the green and gold. That’s what the Packers are hoping and what they’re eager to find out now that Love’s chance in the spotlight, after three long years, has finally arrived.
“I know it’s not going to be easy this year,” Love said. “But one thing I do is, I tell myself every day that I’m good enough.”
thanks for the read APB
