Each and every rendition of the NFL Draft is bound to come with its fair share of surprises. From first-round running backs to surprise quarterback selections, there’s certainly no shortage of memorable phone calls on draft night.
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The most recent surprise for the Green Bay Packers, however, came in 2020, when the franchise made the decision to select Utah’s Jordan Love with the 26th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. During a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, the face of the Packers’ franchise joined the titled host in reliving the emotions from that night.
With everyone from the fanbase to Aaron Rodgers himself expecting the front office to target a wide receiver, Love, much like the rest of us, was in a state of “total shock.”
“I think going into that year, we had a pretty good feel of what teams were looking to draft a quarterback. Once some of those guys like Joe Burrow, Tua, and Justin Herbert, were taken by some of those teams, it was kind of up in the air… I definitely had no idea about the Green Bay Packers.”
Like everything else, fans were quick to give their reactions in the immediate moments following the pick. Given that Love wasn’t what many had been hoping for, the signal caller didn’t necessarily receive the warm welcome that he had been hoping for.
It’s interesting rewatching these reactions to the Jordan Love pick from draft night 2020. pic.twitter.com/P1q2WBMQA8
— Jordan Love Bookmarks (@BookmarkerLove) January 15, 2024
The QB Summit’s consultant, Jordan Palmer, proved to have the rare bit of clarity in the moment, accurately describing the situation as “…the biggest shock of I think the last few drafts.” To Palmer’s credit, there hasn’t been as big of a QB draft surprise apart from the Atlanta Falcons’ selection of Michael Penix Jr. at the 2024 NFL Draft.
"It was the biggest shock of I think the last few drafts."@JwPalms on the Packers' selection of @USUFootball QB Jordan Love in the 1st round of the #NFLDraft. pic.twitter.com/3GKUAuX7Sz
— Stadium (@Stadium) April 28, 2020
Others found themselves immediately wondering what the implications would be for Rodgers. At the time of Love’s pick, the Packers were coming off of a pair of NFC Championship losses.
With the prevailing sentiment being that Green Bay was just one weapon away from truly competing for a Super Bowl, the pick certainly came as a disappointment to most.
https://x.com/ForbesSports/status/1253756346064941056
Suffice to say, the pick continues to mark a turning point in the franchise’s storied history to this very day.
Did drafting Love pay off?
While the decision to draft Love would inevitably lead to the departure of Rodgers, the front office’s decision seems to have aged relatively well. Since taking over as the starter, Love has maintained an 18-14 overall record.
Averaging 3,774 passing yards in addition to 29 touchdowns and 11 interceptions throughout his first two years as QB1, the Packers have yet to miss the playoffs with Love. While they have yet to return to the NFC Championship since losing Rodgers, Green Bay has certainly been able to maintain its relevance.
Until Love is unable to consistently win in the postseason, he’s likely to retain the criticisms that have followed him throughout most of his career. However, if it wasn’t for him, the Packers would likely be an afterthought in the NFC North.
A mixed bag to say the least, Love’s 2020 selection stands as a testament to the Packers’ ability to continue moving forward. For a franchise that has been defined by its ability to forecast the future at the quarterback position, the decision to move on from Rodgers will likely be questioned right up until the moment it becomes clear as to whether or not Green Bay made the right decision.
