In the preseason opener before the 2009 season, Aaron Rodgers — then a second-year starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers — hit Donald Driver for a 53-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive against the Cleveland Browns.
Jordan Love matched the Rodgers script on Saturday in Cleveland.
Love, now in his second year as a starter, hit Dontayvion Wicks for a 65-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive of the preseason opener against the Browns.
Credit to Zach Heilprin of The Zone in Madison for the find:
Thought I had seen that before.
15 years ago a second-year starter threw a long touchdown on the first drive of the preseason against the Cleveland Browns. https://t.co/TU5eS5wvMN pic.twitter.com/TMFIeA5jr7
— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) August 10, 2024
Rodgers had to step up in the pocket before finding Driver deep. Love got Wicks against a safety and delivered an on-time deep ball.
Love completed both of his passes on the opening drive and exited the game, giving way to backup quarterback Sean Clifford. The Packers led, 7-0.
As a second-year starter, Rodgers threw 30 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions as the Packers went 11-5 and made the postseason. Can Love, as the leader of a trendy Super Bowl pick, match or beat Rodgers’ second season?
In 2009, Rodgers and the Packers went on to beat the Browns, 17-0.