Jordan Love Has the Confidence of His Teammates
By GilMartin
Jordan Love’s time has come. The former first-round pick out of Utah State is set to take over as the starting quarterback of the Green Bay Packers after sitting for three years behind Aaron Rodgers. Whether Love ultimately succeeds remains to be seen but what is clear is that Love’s teammates are showing confidence in their new starting quarterback.
Earlier this week, running back A.J. Dillon became the latest Packers player to sing the praises of Love. In an interview on Sirius XM NFL Radio, Dillon explained the situation. “I think he definitely has all the intangibles. He’s earned the trust of the locker room. Guys respect him. Guys want to play for him. Guys want to help him as much as they want to help themselves. Nothing is perfect in football, everybody knows that. I think he’s got a lot of support. Everybody would run through a wall for him.”
Becoming a leader was a process for Love. He came into an extremely difficult situation in 2020 when the Packers traded up to draft him in the first round. Rodgers was the established quarterback and although he was already past 35, he had earned Pro Bowl honors in 2019 and had already won two league MVPs and a Super Bowl MVP.
Love knew he needed to learn behind Rodgers and establish himself without stepping on Rodgers’ toes. The Packers were still Rodgers’ team at that point, he was the undisputed leader of the team. But Love kept quiet in the press and handled the situation well. Even Rodgers admitted Love didn’t ask to be put into this scenario and said he was a good kid.
For three years, Love quietly worked on his game. He improved his footwork, learned the playbook and how to read defenses. Last season, the coaching staff said they wanted to see more decisiveness and confidence in Love’s game, and he did appear to improve in those areas.
Love later admitted the toughest time was the summer of 2022 when Rodgers signed a three-year extension with the Packers to make him the highest paid player in NFL history. That made it seem like Love may not get a chance to start until his sixth season which would really damage his chances of establishing himself as a starter. But Love kept quiet and continued to work hard.
By the middle of the 2022 campaign, Love’s progress was evident to the coaching staff and to his teammates. In the middle of the season, veteran ILB De’Vondre Campbell called Love, “better than a lot of starting quarterbacks,” and that was while Rodgers was still the Packers quarterback and trying to lead the team back into playoff contention.
This spring, running back Aaron Jones became the latest Packers player to speak up about Love. “He has everybody’s full trust,” Jones said. “We all love Jordan here. He has everybody’s full respect and we’re going to lay it out on the line for him.”
During OTAs, wide receiver Romeo Doubs also praised Love. “I think Jordan is a really good quarterback,” Doubs explained. “When you go from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan, Aaron was a really great quarterback, but I believe Jordan can do the same exact thing. So, I don't really see what's the big difference.”
Sure, OTAs are the time everybody expresses confidence in their team, so we should take some of these comments with a grain of salt. But one thing does appear clear: Love has handled a difficult situation the right way and has won over many of his teammates in the process.
All of this lays the groundwork for Love’s debut as the team’s starter in Week 1 in Chicago. It will be the start of a new era for the Packers organization and there will almost certainly be growing pains along the way as Love learns and grows into his new position.
Of course, none of that matters if Love doesn’t eventually succeed on the football field. That confidence that he’s developed will be gone if he can’t perform well and lead the Packers to some important victories. That may take some time to get there, but the Packers believe Love will ultimately become their next quality starting quarterback.
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Comments (38)
dudejcb
July 15, 2023 at 12:18 pm
I just read that Love is practicing with several Packer receivers in California, and Danny Etling (sp?) is also throwing. Be nice if Sean Clifford was there also but perhaps late or another time ... in other news.
AJ Dillon has Love's back and loves Green Bay. As I think of Green Bay's current running pair of Jones and Dillon - cutting speed and run-you-over power - I am reminded of another pair of Packer running backs from another era when running the ball was paramount: Taylor and Hornung.
Run Pack Run!
SoCalJim
July 15, 2023 at 04:10 pm
I’d love to see more of the guys working out with J Love, but this group will will have a big leg up going into training camp.
cdoemel
July 15, 2023 at 06:15 pm
He got together with Doubs and some other guys in the Spring. And this time there were more guys so he brought Danny E along to take reps. He’s doing it Uber right. Who else does this?
Tundraboy
July 15, 2023 at 11:02 pm
Rodgers. Not!
PatrickGB
July 15, 2023 at 12:33 pm
They have seen and worked with him for years. While Rodgers rested or was away it was Love who ran the offense and the scout team. He is no wide eyed rookie QB. He may lack some of Rodgers skills but he is no stranger to this offense.
NickPerry
July 15, 2023 at 01:50 pm
Boom, there it is. He's not a stranger to the offense or a green rookie. This is a kid who sat behind arguably one of the top 5 QBs of all time...And I'm sure learned a ton.
Tundraboy
July 15, 2023 at 11:03 pm
Excellent point!
Bure9620
July 17, 2023 at 11:23 am
Exactly
greengold
July 15, 2023 at 01:09 pm
While this may come off as a puff piece, Gil, I think there's good reason for this Packers team to stand firmly behind him. Of course, firstly, they want to win and share that confidence in Love's abilities widely. Secondly, and most importantly as Patrick just mentioned, is that they've seen what he can do in practice. Time and time again for the last 3 years.
I think Aaron Rodgers saw it himself.
dudejbc, that article you mentioned shared by LH does bring much to be encouraged about. Putting forth that EXTRA EFFORT to be as good as they can possibly be, that's some rock solid energy to bring into this 2023 season.
Encouraging, 100%.
Leatherhead
July 15, 2023 at 01:27 pm
Every single guy knows this: If they go out and crap the bed this year, it'll go to show that the people who said they were no good and only won because of the greatness of one guy were right. Nobody wants that.
If Love fails, then Watson and Doubs aren't going to have a very good year. Neither will Jones/Dillon. If Love plays well, then Watson and Doubs will be the chief beneficiaries and Jones and Dillon won't have to run against 8 man fronts. Together, Everyone Achieves More.
greengold
July 15, 2023 at 02:07 pm
The forethought of Jordan Love to set up these off-season workout sessions is just so removed from what we've known in GB for decades. I find it refreshing and encouraging for what 2023 might bring. It kind of points to the maturity Jordan Love brings to this team at such an early point in his career. Mature beyond his years.
As you mentioned in another thread, this kind of enthusiasm and dedication help cement a team together in the best of ways.
Funny, there's so much involved with winning. Watching the unseeded Marketa Vondrousova take down #6 in the world Ons Jabeur in the Women's Final this morning... the "mental & emotional aspects of the game" were highlighted by one of the announcers.
That may seem small to some, but, I do believe those connections are big in a team sport, and that positivity and collective dedication towards achieving their goal can spread like wildfire amongst this young 2023 Packers team. It clearly looks like it already has begun.
Gotta tell you how happy I was to see Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks were a part of this group (along with Watson, Jones, Cotton & Etling). I'm very high on both Reed & Wicks making significant contributions in this upcoming season, and this news just adds more fuel to that fire.
On another note LH, Jones & Dillion may be beneficiaries of all the new Jet concepts we'll see this season. I could easily envision both players being terrors for opposing defenses on screen plays, as outlets, or as misdirection targets built into LaFleur's Jet concepts.
Leatherhead
July 16, 2023 at 11:07 am
I had a boss once who explained "enthusiasm", like this.
Have you ever been to a strip club where there's a dancer with a great body kind of going through the motions, and then a "less blessed" girl gets up there and really goes crazy? That's enthusiasm.
greengold
July 16, 2023 at 11:10 am
Agreed. The posers have left the building.
egbertsouse
July 15, 2023 at 02:01 pm
We’ll see if they really have confidence in him when the season starts. All this yak-yak means nothing. Are you really expecting them to say anything else? “ Yeah, this guy is a stiff, he really sucks, man!” Never gonna happen.
Oppy
July 15, 2023 at 06:43 pm
While I generally agree- guys typically won't trash their team mates to the press when asked- there have been players going out of their way to share their belief in Love's talent, even before Rodgers was clearly on his way out the door.
Players making it a point to mention Love's talent when they weren't being grilled about it. When Rodgers was still 'the guy' in Green Bay. Aaron Jones was one of those guys as far back as two seasons ago. a number of defensive players had commented on Love's ability in the past, as well.
I feel these players really do stand behind their QB. I think they will be with him thick or thin in 2023. I don't think it will be that hard for them, either.
Tundraboy
July 15, 2023 at 11:06 pm
Aw, enjoy the party for chrissake.
BuckyBadger
July 16, 2023 at 09:48 am
Fans only want to hear the good. That is why they take it so hard when things go bad.
Leatherhead
July 16, 2023 at 11:08 am
It's not what they're saying, it's what they're doing.
SicSemperTyrannis
July 16, 2023 at 09:12 pm
Call it hype or whatever else you want, the optimism is not without basis. Whatever individuals do to bond as a team can only help, and playing in informal situations is even better. I wish Bo Melton was with them and I'd love to find out why he's not, but still this is good news for a handful of them to be doing their own voluntary OTAs.
stockholder
July 15, 2023 at 05:25 pm
Not buying this at all.
It's all hype, Hope, and prayers.
First; the trade rumors were present.
Two; He's been given the job.
I get there is No turning back now.
But I'm only going to say this.
The NFL is about Cutting one’s Teeth.
It's SHOWTIME! Forget the respect.
HawkPacker
July 15, 2023 at 07:09 pm
What trade rumors?
TKWorldWide
July 15, 2023 at 09:32 pm
Cow42 has been reincarnated.
Tundraboy
July 15, 2023 at 11:07 pm
Are we ready for his return,post Rodgers? I actually , actually forgot all about Cow!
stockholder
July 16, 2023 at 12:45 am
When did Love become a National Treasure?
croatpackfan
July 16, 2023 at 10:24 am
"When did Love become a National Treasure?"
When you start to spit on him! That was the best proof he is something special, someone who might dethrone your man crush, FPQB.
stockholder
July 16, 2023 at 12:27 pm
What spit? Either he makes it
or he doesn't was the point.
croatpackfan
July 15, 2023 at 06:31 pm
It is interesting when Jordan Love get all those support and positive statements about his command, talent and execution now it is "what else they can say", despite, even before that Philly game, got praise from his teammates, many of his "haters" brought that they will not believe in those praises if are not given from secondary, like FPQB got from Woodson. But when he got praise from Jaire Alexander they still wants to diminish team's support he has.
Maybe Woodson wasn't able to say nothing else when Packers traded Brett Favre (or at the moment when Favre retired last time from Packers) and FPQB was proclaim to be starter.
There is so many analyses of Jordan Love on the net. All of them are favorable. Yes, there was mistakes in his playing. But we saw by our own eyes how Jordan progress in huge steps after every time we saw him playing.
Do I expect mistakes from Jordan? Sure, there will be mistakes, but that is how we all learns and improving if we can.
Go Pack Go.
BuckyBadger
July 16, 2023 at 09:46 am
Not all analyses of Jordan have been positive. His passing in OTAs was a little erratic and that is a concern.
Sorry but it is true that you aren't ever going to hear teammates say anything but positive right now because it does them absolutely no good to do that. You want to be the player vying for a roster spot bashing the new QB? What does that get you? Go to every team starting a new QB and they are all saying how this guy can do it all. That won't be the case for several of them when they start hitting for real.
I hope Jordan comes in and tears it up but I warn everyone to be cautious here. Jordan has a lot of red flags in his game that have been far from removed from his game. Coming out of college his accuracy on even short passes like bubble screens was a major problem.
croatpackfan
July 16, 2023 at 10:17 am
Bucky, same you might say about Charles Woodson when he was talking about young FPQB, but some here was taking that as "prove" how praises from offense side player means nothing when you are talking about Jordan Love. That is what I was point out. Also, the first who said "Jordan love is better than many of starting QBs in NFL" was Campbell, also defensive player, but still was not good enough for some of fans.
You also wrote " Jordan has a lot of red flags in his game that have been far from removed from his game." I would like to hear from you at least 4 - 5 of those red flags (from group of LOT OF FLAGS). Giving that kind of evaluation is prety frivolous and lazy. Give us some points that are red flags in his game, please.
SicSemperTyrannis
July 16, 2023 at 09:26 pm
BB, this is all why I want to see run heavy and targets being TE and RB heavy first, until everything is working behind a dominant O line. Even if that happens I want to see WRs being targeted only if they're actually open.
With that strategy JL10 should be able to win, but probably not 13 games.
TKWorldWide
July 17, 2023 at 10:50 am
FPQB?
Former Packer Quarterback?
croatpackfan
July 18, 2023 at 01:06 am
Bingo!
TKWorldWide
July 18, 2023 at 07:45 am
You should see me with Wheel of Fortune!
Swisch
July 15, 2023 at 08:56 pm
"Love is patient." (1Cor13)
It seems Jordan Love has shown many of the qualities of that chapter of the Bible.
No guarantees for this guy, but it's easy to root for him -- and we can help him by encouraging him in good times and bad.
Love has been remarkably patient as a member of the Packers; may we be patient with him.
***
As humans, we have a remarkable power to lift each other up, including our guys on the Packers.
May the fans continue to be an integral part of making Green Bay a premier destination for the best players in the NFL with regard to talent and character.
May Green Bay, and the rest of Wisconsin, and all other fans everywhere, set the Packers apart as the place players most want to work and live and raise their families.
As fans, we do matter, or so it seems to me. Our little things toward the Packers add up.
May we use this influence for the good of everyone involved.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
July 16, 2023 at 08:24 am
I was a big Jordan Love fan prior to him being drafted and continue to strongly believe in him. I am very confident he will be a very good NFL QB. Jordan along with all the young offensive talent at skilled positions & an experienced OL makes training camp and the upcoming season the most exciting in many years. The offseason workouts are energizing. The team is rallying and uniting. As Packer fans we should be strongly encouraged and I'm confident the news out of training camp will get most all of us pumped. There are many new talented young players who will become stars, legends, and our new favorite players replacing those who have departed.
mnbadger
July 16, 2023 at 09:31 am
I wasn't a big JL fan at time of draft and honestly still think he looks a little stiff at times - although very limited opportunities on game day.
You almost have to throw out preseason games - behind second/third string line with second/third playmakers.
My biggest takeaway from spring and summer voluntary workouts is that he's trying to connect with teammates and maybe more importantly, IMPROVE!
Self realization that there's room for improvement is a trait not learned from past qb1.
GPG!
Oppy
July 17, 2023 at 07:19 am
You don't have to throw out preseason games, you just have to know what you're evaluating.
What you can evaluate a QB on is isolated factors that he is in total control of- footwork, decision making, accuracy, tempo, clock/situational awareness, checks at the line, etc. but you can't evaluate the QB based on the total outcome of a given play, due to the reasons you listed, as well as the often experimental nature of preseason football.
Some of those items aren't easy or impossible for fans to assess because we don't know the play call, of course, but there's still plenty we can assess about the QB from those preseason games. You have to evaluate within a vacuum.
Turophile
July 17, 2023 at 04:52 am
There were so many minefields Jordan Love had to walk through and he managed it with no blow-ups. It was a masterclass in handling an awkward situation that was none of his doing.
If he can become an above average QB (and I think he can) he will surely reap the rewards of his hard work and patience.