When the Green Bay Packers made the decision to trade up in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft to select quarterback Jordan Love, they shocked the NFL world, their own fans, and their starting quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay has always been a firm believer in the philosophy “the best time to draft a quarterback is when you don’t need one.” Rodgers was aging but was still playing at a high level. However, no one knew how much longer he would play.
The same thing was true when Rodgers was drafted by the Packers in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Brett Favre was still playing at a high level, but no one knew how much longer he would play. Year after year, the now-Hall of Fame quarterback flirted with retirement.
In both cases, the Packers decided to move on from their multiple-MVP-winning quarterbacks three seasons after drafting their successors. In the case of moving on from Favre to Rodgers, it obviously worked out. It seems to have worked out this time around as well with Love.
Jordan Love Had the Best First Season Starting by a Green Bay Packers Quarterback
When Green Bay made the decision to trade Rodgers, it was after the four-time NFL MVP had the worst full season of his professional career. His individual performance was still decent (64.6% completion percentage, 3,695 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 91.1 passer rating), but the Packers took his decline in performance, as well as his refusal to answer any of Brian Gutekunst’s phone calls, as a signal that it was time to hand the keys of the offense over to Love.
Working with the youngest offense in the NFL, which included wide receivers and tight ends that were only first or second-year players, Love not only outperformed the 2022 version of Rodgers, but he also had the best season by a first year starting quarterback in Packers history:
Green Bay, of course, is known for their recent run of 30-consecutive years of Hall of Fame quarterback play. While it is far too early to dub Love a future Hall of Famer, one NFL analyst believes no one should think history won’t repeat itself.
NFL Analyst Believes Green Bay Packers Quarterback Jordan Love Will Reach Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre Levels of Greatness
In a recent article posted by Fox Sports, NFL analyst Carmen Vitali wrote:
“Green Bay has done it twice before Love, so how are we to think this is going to go any differently.
“Throughout last season, I talked to coaches who coached against Love and even in the early going when there were some bumps in the road, everyone said Love just has that ever-coveted, indefinable ‘it factor.’ At the halfway point of the season, you almost saw it click on Love’s face. The last 10 games of the season, he threw for 18 touchdowns against just one interception. He took the youngest team in the league to the divisional round after absolutely demolishing the Cowboys in Dallas in the wild-card round.
“Love got a whole lot of experience in his first season as a starter. Couple that with the foundation laid during his previous three and it’s hard to think Love won’t catapult himself into the same conversations as his predecessor when it comes to the league’s elite.”
When Favre was playing in Green Bay, he was widely considered to be one of the best (if not the best) quarterbacks in the NFL during his prime seasons. Similarly, prime Aaron Rodgers received similar praise.
Love was a top-ten quarterback in the NFL last year in his first year as the starter. As he continues to improve and his offensive playmakers improve around him, he is going to look greater and greater.
