It seems there was a certain moment when Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur knew Jordan Love was ready to replace team icon Aaron Rodgers, and it likely might be one most fans would assume.
When the Green Bay Packers took Jordan Love with the 26th pick overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, there was a clear message being sent. The organization was planning for life after Aaron Rodgers and hopefully, the Utah State star could be the man to eventually take over the reins of the offense and lead it into the next decade.
However, with Rodgers having back-to-back MVP seasons in his first two years in the league, some speculated the Packers might just trade Love since it seemed like playing in Green Bay may never happen. Yet, things all changed during a frustrating 2022 season where Green Bay fell well below expectations and didn’t even reach the NFL playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
That all opened the door to the possibility of the young QB actually getting his shot at the starting role in 2023. Yet, it seems there was a major moment during last season that made the team’s head coach and staff realize his development had succeeded and he was ready to be the starting quarterback sooner than later.
Jordan Love stats (Career): 50-83, 606 passing yards, 3 TD, 3 INT
In a Monday conversation with Sports Illustrated, LaFleur pinpointed a specific moment when Love took a major leap forward in the staff’s eyes. It happened in a pivotal Week 12 conference matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles when the 24-year-old entered early in the fourth quarter after Rodgers suffered a rib injury.
Love got off to a hot start by getting seven points on the board after hitting Chrisitan Watson on a slant that turned into a 67-yard touchdown. After the Eagles added three points on a field goal and extended the lead to 40-30, LaFleur realized there was a play that could exploit a noticeable weakness in the Philly defense. However, it was one that was considered off-limits since Jordan Love had not reached a level of comfort with it yet.
It was a moment where the head coach felt the young QB needed to be tested and asked him a very important question that would change everything. “I kept seeing the look for it,” LaFleur recalled of that key moment late in the game. He then said to his QB through his headset, “Hey, do you trust me? Can I call this?” Love responded impressively by saying, “Yeah. Let’s let it eat.”
Love hit on the 17-yard play and LaFleur claims it was a key moment, along with many others, that he, the coaching staff, and the front office continually looked back on after the season when they had to decide if they would go forward with Rodgers as their QB at 39 years old. Obviously, they chose to go younger and more affordable in 2023.