Aaron Rodgers‘ departure from the Green Bay Packers this offseason may have been sad for the team, but the front office had already prepared for this moment by drafting Jordan Love in 2020. After three years of wait, the Utah State product was finally handed the starting job this season, and he’s already giving reasons for optimism.
Though he went through a period of inconsistency this season, Love showed glimpses of his talent from the very beginning. But now he’s proving the best version of himself. The fourth-year QB led the Packers to massive wins recently, beating the likes of Justin Herbert’s Chargers, Jared Goff’s Lions, and Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.
Love delivered a particularly impressive performance last time out, putting up better stats than the reigning MVP on the national spotlight. With eight passing touchdowns and no interceptions in his last three games, it’s safe to say Love is the man of the hour in Green Bay. Rodgers is not surprised at all by Love’s performances, but he wishes the QB can continue developing without the outside noise putting pressure on him.
“Am I surprised by the way Jordan has played? No, I’m not. He’s playing, especially the last three games, playing outstanding,” Rodgers said on the Pat McAfee Show, via CBS Sports. “He’s in his first year starting. As well as he’s playing, can we not crown him right now, for his own sake? We shouldn’t do that to kids. We shouldn’t crown them, and we shouldn’t cancel them.“
Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love
Rodgers has regrets but no hard feelings at the Packers
Even though he spent 18 years and lived wonderful memories at the organization, Rodgers’ departure was not so nice. The four-time MVP had flirted with leaving the team in the previous two years, so by the time he left, his relationship with the front office was already strained.
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One of the narratives for a while was that Rodgers’ wasn’t pleased with the Packers selecting another quarterback as a first-round pick in 2020, but the 39-year-old had nothing but praise for his former teammate.
“I love Jordan. I think he is going to be a great player in the league for a long time, but can we let him play his career?… Am I surprised by the way Jordan is playing? No. Am I happy for him? Hell yeah. Some people probably thought I was rooting against the Packers this year or rooting against Jordan. Couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m not a bitter person about that,” Rodgers said. “Obviously I wish things had gone different when I was in Green Bay, and there are things I wish I had done better, but I have so much love for that organization. I have so many people that I talk to every single week that work there. If I catch Jordan’s game, I send him a message.”
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Will Jordan Love take the Packers to the playoffs?
With strong play in recent weeks, Love has put the Packers in the playoff picture again. At 6-6, the team is currently holding the seventh playoff berth in the NFC, so there will be little margin for error. Fortunately, they seem to have a winnable schedule left.
Love and company will once again play on prime time when they take the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Monday Night Football this week. After that, they will play the Buccaneers, Panthers, Vikings, and Bears. We’ll have to wait and see whether they ultimately get the job done.
