Here’s Why Sunday’s Start Could Be Just the Start for Packers’ Clayton Tune

Clayton Tune will make his second career start on Sunday when the Packers visit the Vikings. There is a lot at stake, even if the playoff seeding says otherwise.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Clayton Tune will start on Sunday at the Minnesota Vikings. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Green Bay Packers quarterback Clayton Tune has quite the opportunity in front of him.

With Jordan Love in the concussion protocol last week, the loss to the Ravens essentially served as a job interview for Malik Willis. If he played well, he would solidify his position of being a coveted free agent with an opportunity to earn a significant contract and starting job this coming offseason.

Did he ever.

Willis was Green Bay’s entire offense, and any chance the Packers might have had to keep him beyond the 2025 season probably went out the window.

That means the backup quarterback job for next season is up for grabs. The first man to audition for the role will be Tune, who is going from practice squad to getting ready to start Sunday’s game at the Minnesota Vikings.

Tune learned he’d get the start on Wednesday.

“Anytime you get to play, it’s a blessing,” he said after practice on Thursday. “Excited to have this opportunity, excited to get in there and play football again. It’s been a little while. I’m excited.”

Tune has some experience under his belt, albeit limited. His first and only NFL start came in 2023, when he was a rookie fifth-round draft pick by the Arizona Cardinals.

Matt LaFleur and the Packers think he’s progressed since coming to Green Bay after final roster cuts.

“Well, I think he’s the guy that’s shown some pretty good promise in terms of what we’ve seen,” LaFleur said. “So, what an opportunity for him.”

Could Clayton Tune Replace Malik Willis?

The opportunity in front of him, whether LaFleur mentions it explicitly or not, is to win the job behind Love.

That’s a job that has gotten some run since Love became the team’s starting quarterback in 2023.

Love did not miss any time in his first year as a starter, but missed two games and parts of two others in 2024.

This season, Love was knocked out of one game against the New York Giants, with Willis replacing him for one series. He missed last week’s game against the Ravens after getting concussed in the second quarter against Chicago.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Clayton Tune (6) throws under pressure against the Baltimore Ravens. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In general, the backup’s job is to keep the team afloat in situations like those. Willis has been masterful in that role, and his presumptive departure will mean an important opening on the roster.

“I’m excited,” Tune said. “Any time you get an opportunity to play in an NFL game, it’s a huge blessing, so just excited for the opportunity to go out and play and trust the training that I’ve put in for the last however many weeks it’s been.”

LaFleur has shown an ability to adapt to the personnel around him, which is part of what helped Willis be as successful as he has been whenever he’s had to step in for Love.

Huge Challenge for Clayton Tune

Sunday’s challenge is significantly different. Willis’ two games of extended action this year were against teams with passing defenses in the bottom third of the NFL. Last year, he faced two bad teams, including the Titans, who finished with the first pick in the draft.

What’s staring Tune in the face? Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings.

Flores has a reputation as one of the league’s top defensive minds and is a potential candidate to be a head coach when the carousel starts to spin next week. The last time he faced the Packers, he held them to 23 points. The Packers were largely conservative in that game. Some of that was a result of Love playing with a shoulder injury, but some of it was a result of Flores’ defense, as well.

Flores’ defense is coming off its best performance of the season. The Vikings took the ball away from the Detroit Lions six times en route to a 23-10 victory that was entirely on their shoulders.

That came against four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Jared Goff. Now, it’s Tune’s turn. He will lean on his limited experience against Flores’ ferocious front.

“I would say I’m obviously more experienced, been around the game more. Obviously seeing more looks, seeing more defenses,” Tune said when comparing this start to when he started in the Cardinals’ 27-0 loss to Cleveland two years ago.

“So, I would say I’m obviously a better player just from being in the NFL for two years longer, but just I’ve seen it before and I kind of know what to expect now that I’ve got a start under my belt.”

If Tune plays well, perhaps the Packers won’t be looking to spend some of its limited draft and free agency capital on a backup quarterback. Tune playing well could inspire confidence that they have the right man in-house.

What else does he need to do to prove that? Quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion, who had a lengthy career as an NFL backup, had a few ideas.

“I think for Clayton, it’s just keep getting better. I think he’s someone who has talent, has ability,” he said. “Again, it’s a great opportunity for him to go out there and really get live reps with what we’re doing. To this point, it’s been work on the scout team. He’s done a really nice job with that but I think he’s a drafted guy, he’s played in this league before in Arizona, so we’re excited to get a further look at him. It’s a great opportunity for him.

“I know everyone on the team is excited for that. I think he’s a talented guy who works hard and really is professional in his approach. If you have those three things, it’s about continuing to work and continuing to get better for an opportunity like this, when you can go out there and put your best foot forward.”

Perhaps in the standings, Sunday’s game will be viewed as meaningless. Maybe that’s true for established players like Love, who will not be playing on Sunday.

For someone like Tune? Sunday’s game means everything.

“Man, I hope Clayton goes out there and balls,” Love said on Thursday, his first comments since the concussion. “I expect him to go out there and lead the boys and put his best foot forward, but he’s been doing some great things in practice, he’s been locked in all week.

“At the end of the day, we know the defense we’re going against. It’s a lot for anybody, so there’s definitely a lot on his plate, and I think he’s done a great job handling it this week. Just go out there, play free, play loose and I hope he balls out.”

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