The NFL has a new record-holder: The Green Bay Packers and quarterback Jordan Love agreed to a four-year, $220 million extension, making the four-year pro the highest-paid quarterback of all time.
The record, which comes with $155 million guaranteed and a $75 million signing bonus, is made even sweeter considering Love stature as a recruit in his high school days, when he had only one Div. I FBS program give him an offer.
After starting his high school career as a backup at Liberty High School (Bakersfield, Calif.), Love got his shot at the helm during the second game of his junior year in 2014. According to MaxPreps, after the starting quarterback threw three interceptions, Love stepped in and went 7-for-15 for 154 yards and a touchdown without any interceptions. Love got the nod to start the next game, in which he threw two more touchdowns on 7-for-11 passing. In his third appearance that season, he threw four touchdowns and never looked back.
It took a while for recruiters to come around on him, though. Rivals listed him as a two-star prospect; 247Sports Composite had him a three stars. As a senior, Love threw for 2,148 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for 806 more yards and scoring eight times on the ground, leading to Liberty’s first Central Section Div. I Championship. He was named all-area co-MVP, but couldn’t garner much recruiting attention.
His offers were from Utah State, Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado and Sacramento State — four Big Sky schools and one FBS program. He went with Utah State, the sole Div. I team of the list.
Love redshirted his first year at Utah State and began his redshirt freshman year as a backup before taking the reins as starter for the final six games. He held onto that title and became an Aggies legend, netting a program record 9,003 yards of total offense.
This time, scouts and analysts stopped overlooking him. Love was picked in the first round of the NFL draft, No. 26 overall to the Packers. After sitting behind Aaron Rodgers for three years, Love became full-time starter in 2023, passing for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns while leading the Packers to a first-round playoff victory.
It was enough for the Packers, who validated their decision to use a first-round pick years ago on a player who wouldn’t start consistently for multiple years. With this massive contract, Love has gone from a step-in starter in high school to the highest-paid athlete to ever play in the NFL.