One Reason Jordan Love Isn’t Getting Respect from Fans and Experts
By GilMartin
Statistically, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has established himself as a top 10 quarterback in the NFL. Last year, Love was among the top six quarterbacks in the league in efficiency according to advanced analytics. His 101.2 passer rating placed him sixth in the league ahead of quarterbacks like Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott and Justin Herbert. Yet, when most fans think of the top quarterbacks in the league, Love’s name rarely comes up.
There are several ways an NFL quarterback can earn elite status in the minds of most fans and Love hasn’t met them yet. One is to have overwhelming statistics that command respect. Quarterbacks like Dan Marino and Dan Fouts simply threw for more yards and touchdowns than their contemporaries. They made spectacular highlight plays and put together unprecedented numbers for their era. Although neither quarterback won a Super Bowl, their sheer statistical dominance earned them elite status in the minds of fans.
Fran Tarkenton took a slightly different path to elite status. He was always considered a very good quarterback and went to nine Pro Bowls. But by the end of his career, he was the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns. His consistency and longevity earned him Hall of Fame status.
Love certainly hasn’t achieved either of these two methods of becoming an elite quarterback in the minds of fans.
A third way to earn elite status is to win championships. Tom Brady and Joe Montana weren’t the biggest or most athletic quarterbacks, and they didn’t have the strongest arms in their day. But they won multiple championships to the point where they understandably won the respect of fans and experts alike. Both are considered among the greatest signal callers of all time because of their championship pedigrees.
Terry Bradshaw threw 212 touchdowns in his NFL career but threw 210 interceptions. His career quarterback rating is a very pedestrian 70.9. But Bradshaw is deservedly in the Hall of Fame for leading the Steelers to four Super Bowl titles in six years between 1974 and 1979.
Love has obviously yet to win a Super Bowl, although he has led the Packers to the playoffs in each of his three seasons as the team’s starting quarterback.
But then there are the memorable moments and memories that quarterbacks can create. These thrilling last second wins or improbable moments live on in the minds of fans and endear a quarterback to the fan base.
Packers fans first memory of Brett Favre was a last-minute comeback win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 of 1992 that made Favre seem dangerous and exciting. Favre’s first playoff game was memorable as well as he threw three touchdown passes in a last-minute road win over the Lions in the 1993 Wild Card round. The game winner to Sterling Sharpe came on a 40-yard touchdown in the closing seconds to pull off a thrilling upset win.
Favre pulled off improbable and memorable plays, throwing backhanded or into triple coverage and somehow making it work. He was exciting, unpredictable and always looked like he was having fun. His enthusiasm was contagious.
Aaron Rodgers also created memorable moments in big games. His first playoff start came in an overtime loss to the Cardinals, but he threw for 423 yards and four touchdowns in that game and the Packers scored 45 points.
A year later, he had a nearly perfect playoff performance in a 48-21 road playoff win against top-seeded Atlanta that saw him complete 31-of-36 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns. A few weeks later, he was named the MVP of Super Bowl XLV after throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns in that game.
Rodgers also had many memorable regular season moments including some famous late comebacks like the Miracle in Motown or “He did what” throw to Antonio Freeman in the rain against the Vikings.
Love just hasn’t made those kinds of plays yet in his NFL career. He hasn’t had many late and dramatic comebacks in the regular season. His playoff record is 1-3. The one win was a spectacular performance in Dallas, but since then, his playoff performances have been good but not outstanding and they haven’t resulted in any wins.
Whether it’s fair or not, Love is also compared to Favre and Rodgers, his two predecessors, and he comes up short thus far in memorable moments and statistical excellence. Of course, almost every quarterback would.
Fans remember more than anything how a player makes us feel, not how efficient they are. Love needs to create more memorable winning moments to be considered an elite quarterback in the hearts and minds of fans going forward. He’s perfectly capable of doing that, but as they say, potential means you haven’t done it yet. We’ll see if he gets to that level in the next few seasons.
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You can follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers
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Comments (20)
Spock
July 18, 2026 at 10:17 am
This whole article is about , "...elite status in the minds of fans". Whatever that is supposed to mean it sure seems like a meaningless topic.
Natron
July 18, 2026 at 10:34 am
I believe JLove’s first win at Lambeau was a comeback against the Saints!?! Also, if using your standards, then wth is Lil’ Bro Caleb getting more respect than JLove? The real reason is a bias by the NFL. They’ve always waned the Bears to be perennial divisional winners and the Packers to be the feel good story. Then we dominate for 3 decades. They hate it.
Coldworld
July 18, 2026 at 11:07 am
Caleb (whom I am really not high on at all) was the undisputed center of everything they did, good or bad. Love is not even the primary axis of the LaFleur offense. That’s the root of this.
If a player is that good, at that position, most observers would see it ludicrous not to make him the lynchpin of the offense and its planning. Since he hasn’t been it speaks for itself in the minds of many who don’t delve too deeply. Of course those people also tend to have a baffling stellar opinion of LaFleur, which only reinforces their conclusion that Love can’t be all that good.
The exception was the brief period at the end of Love’s rookie year when LaFleur turned it over and those weeks changed the season, but that’s 3 seasons back now and forgotten by most outsiders.
TarynsEyes
July 18, 2026 at 10:47 am
Over at ACME there was a piece on LVN and I wrote this.
"LVN will do one of two things: have a breakout or compel a breakup. I don't think he can have the level of breakout desired, but the breakup is likely more expected."
I think this also applies to Love, though it will take a tad longer for it to sink in to many of the Love supporters.
Love is a good, above-average QB that is likeable, but he really needs to begin giving us what the others have, or back-dooring into the last playoff spot becomes his and your mantra for success. A saving grace would be to create a team so awesome it will save his career, but the odds of that seem more improbable from the FO in charge.
I think the time and worry about Love's status should be canned until the team, or Love, performs and achieves something of actual note. Other QBs have done so already while being in the NFL a shorter time. And regardless of why, they've done it, and Love simply hasn't.
Can we please move on from the 'he's elite, he's not' argument? There are other real issues to be argued while hopefully being addressed and fixed.
Leatherhead
July 18, 2026 at 11:17 am
He's 1-3 in the playoffs, and until that improves, he won't get the accolades he deserves. It doesn't matter if you're missing key pieces, the QB is supposed to just overcome all that and get it done, at least in the minds of some people.
A 3-0 playoff run this year would put him in everybody's Top 5.
Coldworld
July 18, 2026 at 12:12 pm
A bit like a Head Coach then.
Leatherhead
July 18, 2026 at 01:35 pm
Yes. Quite a bit like. It's not always fair or right, but it is what it is. That's how the average fan judges things. Personally, I think continuity pays benefits.
TarynsEyes
July 18, 2026 at 01:50 pm
"I think continuity pays benefits."
It certainly does. depending on the bar of satisfaction to be met. What has been produced has been status quo for a number of seasons. The wrong type of continuity.
Since'61
July 18, 2026 at 11:22 am
For his first three seasons I believe that Love has been held back by MLF. There is nothing wrong with a QB being efficient especially during the post season. Look no further than Bart Starr to find an efficient post season QB. Bart never had the arm or the mobility characteristics of Favre, Rodgers or Love but he was a brilliant play caller and he was clutch in post season games. He rarely if ever hurt his team with his decision making plus he played behind probably the best OL of all time and had the best post season defensive team of all time.
Winning the Sb is a team achievement not a QB achievement as the media has dictated for the past 40 years. Yes, the QB needs to well but he is not the only reason why teams win SBs. Love can help himself into elite status by reaching pro bowl status and more importantly by winning the league MVP award. Rodgers 4 MVPs and Favre 3 MVPs. That's league recognition without necessarily winning the SB.
MLF needs to open up the offense and allow Love to pass. The Packers have the skill players to prevent the opposing defense to from covering them all effectively especially if the Packers OL plays well. MLF also needs to discipline the offense to stop beating themselves with stupid penalties, especially the pre-snap penalties.
Let Love play and let's see what happens. Particularly when the Packers are playing with a lead. This is professional football there is no such things as running up the score. If the opposing defense can't stop the Packers that's their problem. Did the Ravens let up when they demolished the Packers last season? No.
Play to win for 60 minutes. Thanks, Since '61
Leatherhead
July 18, 2026 at 01:40 pm
Since you brought Bart into this.....
I remember an interview with Bart after he had retired where he said "I just didn't want to do anything that would hurt the team". He was a mighty cautious citizen, as Quirt Evans would say, and that's why he was so good in elimination games.
xxxxxx
As to more passing, I still would rather run more and pass less, and use the run fake to set up the play action stuff. I'd hate to see us start throwing it around 40 times a game or more.
Since'61
July 18, 2026 at 03:32 pm
LH Bart had a great OL and a great defense. He was able to be cautious because he knew that his defrnswould get the ball back for him and the offense.
40 passes on a regular basis would be too much for me as well unless the Packers are behind. But the Packers need to be less conservative when they play with a lead which allows the opponent an opportunity to get back in the game. The playoff loss to the Bears is a perfect example. I realize that McManus cost the Packers 7 points in that game but what I'm saying is that the Packers need to be less predictable when they have the lead. They need to keep the defense guessing throughout the game.
IMO protecting a lead and playing to win are two different things. The defense needs to play to protect the lead by making stops and getting off the field. The offense needs to play like the game is tied regardless of the score, so that the opponent can't get back into the game. Thanks, Since '61
Handsback
July 18, 2026 at 11:44 am
Rodgers got dinged because he didn't have enough 4th qtr. comebacks. Winning 4 MVPs put him into a special category and winning a SB assured him of a HOF award In the future.
Love has a great arm, he has a very good receiver corp and strong defense. If he doesn't separate himself with winning big games, long runs in playoffs, he'll be considered another Dan Pastorino. A good QB but not elite.
JMHO
NFLfan
July 18, 2026 at 12:24 pm
Love has a poor O-Line and fairly good receivers but there are no WR#1's
NFLfan
July 18, 2026 at 12:13 pm
All the top QB's have strong O-Lines and a bona fide #1 WR. Love has been let down by a porous O-Line and a very limited coach
So, tired of this rhetoric about Love.
I bet he'd be amazing with a real supporting cast; the Seahawk's coaching, O-Line & Jaxson SN come to mind.
I think he should get more attitudinal ala Rodgers and over-ride MLF at least 25% of the time---of course Rodgers had a real O-Line and a Pro-Bowl LT. Jordan Love has a LT no one has seen play one pivotal game in that position-malpractice
GreenandBold
July 18, 2026 at 01:17 pm
Refresh my memory on who threw the “ he did what “ pass ? QBs build elite status not just on passing stats they have to win playoff games . That’s where they earn their money when it counts . So far Love is 1-3 in the games that matter . Ending at least one with a bonehead interception . Until he leads the Packers deep into the playoffs his reputation and ranking won’t change . The standard of QB elite play has been set in Green Bay by Starr , Favre , and Rodgers . Love needs to step up and earn his .
Packerlifer
July 18, 2026 at 01:23 pm
The "he did what" throw in the rain against the Vikings was Favre, not Rodgers.
T7Steve
July 18, 2026 at 02:00 pm
I prefer the under the radar type players because it takes the whole team.
These things will happen if he and the O-line stay healthy.
Bring on some memories.
stockholder
July 18, 2026 at 02:10 pm
IMO - Love is being shield.
And that is the problem.
By the press.
By the coach.
By the GM who took him.
Love doesn't show enough emotion.
It's business as usual with him.
And that has more to do with his
playoff record, then we realize.
lou
July 18, 2026 at 02:59 pm
I believe I read an article where Love was tops with a clean pocket per PFF last season. Last seasons offensive line regressed considerably and most of the question marks remain going into training camp/pre season. All solid QB's have moments where you say they forgot that the cardinal sin "you don't throw late over the middle" when the game is on the line and that has hurt Love because the defense has not been able to hold the leads he has established. Rodgers last few years it was special teams blunders instead that led to playoff losses. This is a huge season for where our QB and Head Coach are valued in the NFL and that is the first thing all the talking heads use to drive their own revenue (clicks).
Packerlifer
July 18, 2026 at 04:29 pm
One consideration worth thinking about is whether there is big city bias against small town Green Bay in the league's media coverages. Even Favre and Rodgers seemed to get an elevation in regard after leaving the Packers for big city markets. "Favre's greatest season was in Minnesota." "Rodgers is taking the Jets to the Super Bowl." We all heard and read that kind of stuff; their Green Bay years were minimized in some quarters to a point of amnesia. Maybe New York, L.A., Chicago ,etc. just can't stand smaller market success.