“He’d Be Very Proud”: Jordan Love Recalls Late Dad’s ‘Huge Impact’ on His Football Journey

Jordan Love’s NFL career is deeply intertwined with his late father, Orbin Love, who served as a sergeant with the Bakersfield Police Department. Growing up, Orbin was the Packers QB’s biggest mentor and cheerleader. Unfortunately, at the age of 51, Orbin passed away on July 13, 2013, by suicide due to complications with his prescription medication, not from depression, as initially suspected.

Now, 11 years later, in an interview with Maria Taylor on the NFL on NBC, Jordan opened up about the huge impact his father had on his life and how he paved the way for his journey into football.

“My dad was the first one to get me started in sports and the first one to teach me how to throw a ball,” Jordan recalled. “He taught me everything I know about sports.”

According to the QB, Orbin was always in mentorship mode—present at every practice and game, doing his best to encourage and teach. “Every time I run out on the field, I remember him and all those lessons I’ve learned,” Jordan continued.

When speaking about how his dad would view his current success in the NFL, Jordan’s face beamed with happiness.

“Oh, he’d be very proud,” Jordan said. “He’d be at every game cheering me on, and he’d likely have something to tell me after every play, like, ‘Oh, remember this throw?’ He’d be my biggest fan.”

Clearly, Orbin left an indelible mark on Jordan. But in his absence, it was the QB’s mother who took on the task of raising him.

Jordan Love’s mother helped her son overcome grief

Earlier in March, during a recent appearance on The Pivot Podcast, the QB hailed his mother, Anna, for the support she provided after his father’s tragic passing. At the time, Love was just 14, and the grief was understandably overwhelming, leading him to contemplate quitting football altogether. The sport that he so deeply loved felt like a constant reminder of Orbin’s absence from his life.

But Anna was not the one to give up. Fueled with the challenge to keep her late husband’s dream for their son alive, she pushed Jordan to continue playing for one more season. It worked, as her encouragement helped Jordan continue pursuing the sport.

By his junior year, at Liberty High School, Jordan transitioned from backup QB to varsity starter. Next, he led the team to the State semi-finals in his senior season and went on to choose Utah State for college football, despite being a two-star recruit.

After redshirting his freshman year, he performed outstandingly in 2017 and went on to set a school record in 2018 with 3,567 passing yards and 32 touchdowns. 

Following this, he entered the 2020 NFL Draft, where the Packers selected him 26th overall. Cut to the present, Love is set to play in his fourth NFL season this year after signing a new $220 million, four-year extension with the Packers at an average of $55 million a year. It ties him with Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow for the highest average annual salary in NFL history.