Packers: During the offseason, Aaron Rodgers contacted Jordan Love.
Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers had a difficult, protracted split that lasted for years. When the team chose to draft Jordan Love with the No. 26 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft—a decision that Rodgers at the time was obviously upset about—the seeds of divorce were firmly established.
Since then, Rodgers has maintained a cordial contact with his unwanted protégée, even developing it into a true mentoring relationship. In the Green Bay QB room, the veteran has taught Love a lot, whether he likes it or not. Love will now apply his newfound knowledge to guide the Packers football team into a new era.
Love claims that his connection with Rodgers isn’t entirely over. In the lead-up to training camp, Love received guidance from the new quarterback for the Jets.
In an effort to encourage former Green Bay Packers teammate Jordan Love, Aaron Rodgers
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Love described an earlier encounter in which his former mentor, Aaron Rodgers, gave him some wise counsel.
Although Rodgers isn’t exactly innovating here—”just be yourself” is a universal piece of advice that can be applied to anyone in any circumstance—what matters more is the person offering the advise rather than its specifics. In Green Bay, Rodgers took over as the starting quarterback after the legendary Brett Favre, who ironically had a bad opinion of Rodgers, retired.
Although Rodgers treated Love with more courtesy than his predecessor did, the 38-year-old, who is currently leading the New York Jets’ new offensive scheme, could have simply walked away and let the 24-year-old figure things out on his own. But that’s not what Rodgers did, and he should be commended for helping Love. It’s obvious that the Packers’ new star player values it.
Finally, it’s straightforward yet useful counsel. Love cannot allow himself to be compared to one of the all-time great quarterbacks. That will only get you so far in utter misery. He needs to work hard and accept the outcome. Success and self-fulfillment must be found by him on his own terms. He cannot allow other people to decide for him.
Of course, the Packers are hoping Love can contribute even half of what Rodgers produced at the position. Although the Utah State product has reasonable questions, he finished 14 out of 21 pass attempts last season with an average of 13.9 yards per grab. Even though that is a very small sample size, it at least validates one basic fact: Love’s game is not well understood at the NFL level. Not quite yet.
Love’s suitability for the position will undoubtedly be the subject of much conjecture in the coming weeks, but no solid determination can be made until the games begin in September and Love has had a few weeks of practice. He’s the man in Green Bay right now, and he has enormous shoes to fill, but if the season doesn’t work out, the Packers may have to reevaluate their commitment to the young quarterback. But he shouldn’t concentrate on that.
