Jordan Love waited three seasons for his chance to shine. Like Aaron Rodgers had done before him with Brett Favre, Love remained on the sidelines for his first few seasons, and soaked in all the knowledge that he could. As he takes the Packers to another playoff run, Love admitted that all those years biding his time were worth it.
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During his recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, the Packers’ shot-caller expressed that his career would have had a different trajectory if he had become a starter in his rookie year. But picking Rodgers’s brain, seeing him do things up close, and asking all the right questions had a huge impact on his game and growth as QB:
“I do believe for sure that having those three years be able to sit behind the legend, Aaron Rodgers, and just watch him work and learn and pick his brain definitely helped me so much. Just be able to learn on the side and grow my game until I was truly ready.”
It helped him get the lay of the land in the NFL. While he thinks those initial years were beneficial, he believes he was ready to take the reins by year two. His growth as a fast learner and hard worker, combined with the opportunity to study under a future Hall of Famer, set him up for success.
Reflecting on his journey, Love admits that starting as a rookie would have been a different story. The transition into the league brings a flood of new information that’s tough to process quickly. Watching Aaron Rodgers in action and learning from his experience made all the difference, giving Love the time and knowledge he needed to grow into the role
Now he is in his second season as a starter, with a playoff win under his belt. He hopes to take the experience and lessons of the last season into this season as the Packers hope to make a deep playoff run.
Jordan Love continues to improve
Love is adapting to a new team dynamic and focusing on becoming the quarterback his teammates can rely on. One of the hardest lessons he’s learned since last year is the importance of protecting the football, a skill he continues to refine.
However, Love was quick to point out that minimizing turnovers doesn’t mean shying away from big, explosive plays—a balance he’s determined to master. He’s striving to find that balance by getting the ball out on time to different receivers and playmakers, keeping the scoreboard moving without turning the ball over.
“I think the experience is beneficial but it’s a new year and we have a new team. I try to go out every game and just be the best QB I could be for this team. It all starts with taking care of the ball. Just taking care of the ball and having these explosive plays and getting the ball and spreading to all the playmakers we got.”
Love highlighted how staying focused and improving his ability to read defenses has helped him anticipate where the ball will go when he makes a throw. This newfound awareness has been instrumental in reducing interceptions.
The Packers are yet to officially clinch a playoff spot but they are already 10-4, with three games still left. It’s looking like they will at least clinch a wildcard spot.
