07 August 2023 , 21:42
477
0
Jordan Love is up for the challenge of emulating Aaron Rodgers as the Green Bay Packers franchise quarterback following three years of learning from the four-time MVP.
Love, 24, was the Packers ' first-round pick during the 2020 NFL draft and has steadily risen up the team's depth chart the become the new starter before this upcoming season. He has played ten games over the last two years, but only one was from the start.
With Rodgers finally getting a blockbuster trade to the New York Jets earlier this offseason, Love finally has a clear path the being the man in Green Bay. However, that time spent working under Rodgers could yet prove invaluable.
While the veteran quarterback was not known for teaching out on the field; instead, it took place behind closed doors. The meeting room, reportedly, is where those lessons took place.
“He would see a play [on tape], and he would just be like, 'Hey J., this is what I was seeing on this, this is why I did this,'” Love said to Sports Illustrated . "Then, if I did something in practice, he’d be like, 'Hey, maybe think about this next time'. He was always helping.”
Joe Burrow backs Patrick Mahomes after Kansas City Chiefs reach Super Bowl
With those words of wisdom, Love is aiming to continue the lineage of legendary Packers quarterbacks by following in the footsteps of Brett Favre and Rodgers. “Oh, yeah, that’s definitely the goal,” he added.
“They set the bar high. The standards are high, being a quarterback here for the Packers, and that’s one thing that just, being here for three years under Aaron, I was able to see how he does it, how he handles business every day."
Rodgers left Love with plenty of advice (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)Love continued: "But I like that pressure; I like to be able to be held to a high standard. That’s what (head coach) Matt (LaFleur) does. Holds me, and all the other quarterbacks, to a really high standard. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Rodgers has previously given his successor his blessing. After describing the Packers moving on with Love as "awesome" on the Pat McAfee Show in March, he also elaborated on how highly he rates him.
"Jordan's going to be a great player. He's a f****** great kid; he had a really good year (last) year, he's getting better. He's got a bright future in front of him. They've got a bright young team."
Love's wide receiver Romeo Doubs is even more bullish. “I think Jordan is a really good quarterback,” he said earlier this summer.
“When you go from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan, Aaron was a really great quarterback, but I believe Jordan can do the same exact thing. So I don’t really see what’s the big difference.”
Doubs added: “I see a progression. I see it going up. I don’t see the Packers going down. I only focus on our room and our team in this organization."