Nelson: Rodgers Will Handle Love Mentorship in ‘Great Way’

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Brett Favre’s form of mentorship left a lasting impression on Aaron Rodgers, and he vowed to be different.

Whether it was Matt Flynn in the past or Tim Boyle today, Rodgers has forged strong relationships with his backup quarterbacks.

“I feel great about those relationships that I developed over the years,” Rodgers said last month. “Many of them are still really close friends. I consider Matt Flynn a very close friend. I still have great contact with a lot of guys I played with over the years from more recent to Deshone (Kizer) and Manny (Wilkins) to Tim (Boyle) and I are really close. Brett Hundley and I keep in touch all the time. Scotty Tolzien and I talk from time to time. So, I’ve had great relationships over the years with those guys and I’d expect that same type of relationship with Jordan.”

Of course, none of those quarterbacks posed a challenge to Rodgers’ mantle. That’s the extra layer to the arrival of first-round pick Jordan Love. The Packers, for instance, didn’t acquire Kizer to potentially replace Rodgers. With Love, the dynamic potentially could be different.

Rodgers’ longtime friend, former teammate and No. 1 receiver Jordy Nelson, however, didn’t believe the dynamic would be different.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Nelson said on “Wilde & Tausch” on ESPN Wisconsin last week. “I think Aaron will handle it in a great way. I think he obviously knows the situation he went through and he’ll remember it wasn’t a good situation. But I think he knows how he wants to handle it. He’s always been one that with any backup quarterback he’s had, he’s going to try to help them improve. Because injuries do happen and, if they do happen, you want somebody to step in and be productive. But also hold him accountable like he does any other position. He’s going to make sure they know what to do, make sure they’re doing it correctly, doing it the way it needs to be done and, honestly, the way he does it because the biggest transition to a backup quarterback when they come in is, do they have the same mannerisms and thought processes as Aaron?”

Nelson predicted some tough love – no pun intended. While Boyle could emerge from the preseason as the No. 2 quarterback, that job potentially could go to Love. That would put the rookie one injury away from being in the lineup.

“He’ll be on him, there’s no doubt about it,” Nelson continued. “Honestly, as a former player with Aaron and anyone who wants to be great, you want guys to be that way. That’s why I’ve never understood when Aaron gets criticized for the way he is a leader. People need to accept being challenged and, obviously, by one of the greats helps, as well. And if you can get on that level, it’ll be beneficial for you.”