Is Love Ready for Everything If He Replaces Rodgers?

Jordan Love has the ability to start. Is he ready for everything that comes with the job if he winds up replacing Aaron Rodgers as the Green Bay Packers’ quarterback?

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Feb 28, 2023 5:37 PM EST

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

INDIANAPOLIS – Jordan Love “absolutely” is ready to be the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback if Aaron Rodgers is traded or retires, general manager Brian Gutekunst said on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Love has all the ingredients to be an excellent quarterback. He’s got the arm talent. He’s got the athleticism. He’s at least got the experience of three years in coach Matt LaFleur’s scheme.

Of course, a lot of quarterbacks have had the skills to be a quality starting quarterback but failed. That includes a lot of quarterbacks drafted much higher than No. 26, where Gutekunst moved up get Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

So, what makes a championship quarterback? What’s that secret sauce that separates those who succeed from those who fail?

“I think it’s probably different for each one that does make it. They probably have a little bit something different,” Gutekunst said. “You hear all the guys in my business talking about the ‘it’ factor and the ‘it’ factor can be a number of things.

“Their dedication and work ethic, I think, is huge. There are obviously certain physical traits and intelligence and all kinds of different things these guys have to have to compete in this league at a high level, but their willingness to sacrifice and work, day in and day out – for all players, not just quarterbacks, but for all players – I think is usually the determining factor if they have all those other things.”

Does Love have those qualities?

“Yes, absolutely,” Gutekunst responded. “I think in all young players, with their work ethic, they grow and they learn what works for them. That takes some time, as well. I know his first year, he was working with certain coaches in the offseason and now he’s back to who he started with. I think sometimes you’ve got to try some different things, but the work ethic, that can’t not be there if they’re going to be great.”

For most of his three seasons, Love has toiled in relative anonymity. He’s played meaningful snaps in only three games: a start at Kansas City in 2021, when Rodgers had COVID; the second half at Detroit in 2021, when coach Matt LaFleur went to the bench in a meaningless game; and the fourth quarter at Philadelphia in 2022, when Rodgers exited with injured ribs.

Stepping into the starting lineup would put him in the brightest of spotlights. There’s the inside-the-locker-room spotlight of being a team leader. There’s the outside-the-locker-room spotlight of having to replace the legendary Rodgers. As he enters the final season of his four-year rookie contract, there would be the internal pressure to produce. His every move would be dissected.

How will he handle all of that?

“I think it’ll be step by step,” Gutekunst said. “I don’t think you can just put it all on his plate right away, right? That’s one thing I talked to him a little bit about after the season was just mentally having a plan for those things that he hasn’t had to have a plan for the last few years, whenever that time comes, because he’s got to think about those things, handling all the requests and the pressure and the different things that are going to come his way.

“Certainly, we’ve seen a lot of growth through him on the field, and that part of it, what you’re speaking to, is very important, as well. So, getting with the people he works with and talking about those things and making sure, not only with his people outside our building but people inside our building, that he has a plan for those things if that transpires.”

In 2008, Rodgers replaced Brett Favre after three years on the bench. There were moments when he looked great. There were moments when he looked like he was in over his head.

The Packers finished 6-10. They went 1-7 down the stretch before winning the final against Detroit. Six of the seven losses were by four points or less.

Quarterbacks need to learn how to win. A quarterback can’t learn how to win by sitting on the bench.

“He needs to play. I think I’ve spoken about that before,” Gutekunst said. “He definitely needs to play. I think that’s the next step in his progression. I think he’s ready for that. Not every quarterback comes into this league ready to go out there and play. I think he needed a little time but, over the last year-and-a-half or so, we’ve seen that’s the next step in his progression. He needs to go out and play.”