Jordan Love stood behind the podium in the Green Bay Packers media auditorium on Wednesday afternoon and had an even-keeled confidence about him.
One year ago, the Green Bay Packers were still unsure if Jordan Love could be their starting quarterback. That, in part, is why they handed out such a large contract extension to Aaron Rodgers, which Love admitted was the most challenging part of his three-year tenure with the Packers, not knowing what was next for him at that point.
However, over the last 12 months, between the preseason, the playing time in Philadelphia, and several weeks where Love was taking the first team practice reps as Rodgers nursed a thumb injury, the organization’s confidence in Love grew drastically. But for Love, his confidence never waivered, he just needed the opportunity.
“I’ve always been confident in myself. I knew that if I had to go in, I was going to make the most out of that opportunity. Just go in there with confidence, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. I was able to show what I always believed.”
Early in Love’s career with the Packers, Matt LaFleur said he wanted to see Love “let it rip.” What he meant by this was not that he wanted to see Love be reckless with the ball, but rather trust in what he sees and being decisive in his decision-making. Developing the confidence to do that in a game takes time, which is what the Packers had with Love.
“I think the term ‘let it rip,’ it’s hard when you first get here,” said Love. “Your mind is flushed around so many different things. Trying to learn a different scheme, trying to learn to read defense and where to go with the ball, so kind of thinking a little bit too much out there, and you can’t just play freely. The more you keep building and learning, that’s where I get that term ‘let it rip,’ knowing where to go with the ball and letting it fly.”
Against the Eagles, we caught a glimpse of what the Packers players and coaching staff had been seeing in practice, which included Love letting it rip. He looked much more confident and poised in the pocket. His feet followed his eyes as he went through his progressions. He was decisive with his decision-making and accurate. Love finished that game, completing six of nine passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.
“Since college and since I’ve been here I’ve improved drastically,” said Love. “Just being here and learning the scheme, just improving myself as a quarterback. I think I’ve improved in a lot of ways. I just try to keep building it and try to keep working at it.”
That improvement came from Love simply having the time needed to develop as a quarterback. He came out of Utah State with all the talent to be successful, but was considered raw. Along with time, quarterbacks’ coach Tom Clements played a pivotal role in Love’s Year 3 jump, with Love mentioning that the practice drills that Clements utilized transitioned well with game-action. Also, sitting behind a four-time MVP doesn’t hurt either.
“I learned a lot,” said Love about his time behind Rodgers. “I was just able to watch a great quarterback and how he works every day, how he handles business in the locker room, interacts with teammates. How he attacked every day. Just being able to sit back and observe him. Observe his footwork, how the ball comes out of his hands, and just how he practices every day and take that into a game. It was very valuable stuff that I was able to sit for three years and pick his brain on and watch him work.”
Although this offseason is different from others in the sense that Love is now officially the Green Bay Packers starting quarterback, it also wasn’t the first time there were questions about Rodgers’ future with the team. So for Love, his approach wasn’t all that different. The only noticeable change was that he got together with Aaron Jones and Romeo Doubs out in California to begin working on their timing.
“The whole offseason, I approached it as I’d be the starter. That was just my mindset going into it. I couldn’t really control what happened going forward; it was out of my control.” Love later added, “I did the same thing I always do, I go into the offseason, do my training elsewhere, but I approached it the same way.”
Now it is Love’s turn to pass along that confidence to a very young skill position group that the Packers have. The receiver room is made up of nine players who were either drafted or signed as undrafted rookies in the 2021 or 2022 offseasons, and a tight end group with two rookies, and where Josiah Deguara and his 600-plus snaps are the most experienced on the team.
Love is excited about the opportunity to grow with the young players at these position groups, and mentioned that the lack of experience will allow him to more easily get his point across about what he is looking for as the quarterback, rather than battling pre-established habits that veteran players could have.
“My main focus is trying to bring guys along,” said Love. “Trying to give everyone else confidence in themselves. The confidence that I believe in them and I trust them, and just try to bring guys up. Never want to be negative around guys. We all want the same goal. We all want to be great to work together, and try to bring guys along.”
Love is now the face of one of the most historic franchises in all of sports. A role that he admits he will have to grow into and one that comes with pressure, but Love also added that this is what he signed up for. Now, it’s up to him to “make the most of that.”
The expectations within Lambeau Field remain the same, but on the outside, the Packers have a plethora of doubters. However, as has been the case for three years now, that won’t have any impact on Love. He believes in himself and those in the locker room with him.
“I have confidence in myself. I have confidence in the team. We are going to take it day by day. I can’t say what will happen this year, what might happen next year, who knows? But we have a really good team and I think we are going to be able to work together everyday and just grow.”