Love always finds a way.
Standing amid a squall of on-rushing defenders — including Micah Parsons — Packers QB Jordan Love held his nerve. He waited for patches of grass to open up, first in his pocket, then in the secondary.
In one fell swoop, he delivered. Love whistled an arrow to a streaking Dontayvion Wicks.
Then, euphoria: Wicks leaped to the heavens to pull down Love's strike in the back of the end zone. That prompted a storm of an entirely different type -- a gaggle of green-clad players streaming down the field to swarm Wicks.
It was one moment in one game, but it epitomized so much of what has made Love one of the darlings of the NFL season.
Fresh off a 4,159-yard, 32-touchdown campaign, it's easy to forget that Love's playoff debut was some three years into the making. In a sport noted for its pace, Love's ascension to Green Bay's lead marksman was long and drawn out.
Still, it bears asking. Just what was Love doing during his time out of the spotlight? And just how long was he left waiting in the wings as another big-name hurler left his mark on the Frozen Tundra?
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The Sporting News fills you in on just how Love reached this point after backing up Aaron Rodgers.
How long has Jordan Love been with Packers?
Love's Packers career has lasted three years, as the franchise selected him with its first-round pick back in 2020.
Green Bay took a bit of a flyer on Love, at least relative to his college production. The Utah State standout was a mere mortal in his final year with the Aggies, completing 293-of-473 pass attempts (61.9 percent) for 3,402 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions in 2019. It was a far cry from the productivity he showcased as a junior (64 percent passing, 3,567 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just six interceptions), cooling interest off the towering right-hander.
The numbers didn't tell the whole tale, though. Yes, Love regressed in some aspects, but he also lost his leading rusher and top-three receivers during the 2019 offseason. He was also tasked with learning a new offense after esteemed Utah State coach Matt Wells left for Texas Tech.
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All of that is to say, Love was brimming with intrigue and potential. Blessed with a harrowing frame and stronger-than-average arm, Love had plenty of attributes worth fawning over. He just needed a franchise to cultivate them.
Jordan Love years in NFL
Despite only just being named starter in the last year, Love isn't new to the professional lifestyle. In many ways, he's something of a veteran around NFL circles, having been a fixture in Green Bay's roster for each of the past three seasons.
2020
Love's first season in the league was an uneventful one. He was listed as the third quarterback on the roster behind Aaron Rodgers and Tim Boyle and wasn't activated for a single game. The Packers went 13-3, capturing the NFC's No. 1 seed, while Rodgers would pick up his third career MVP. Green Bay would fall to the eventual Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay in the NFC Championship.
2021
Year 2 was far more hectic for Love, who rose to the spot of lead understudy behind Rodgers. Heading into the season, it still seemed as if the bench would be Love's best friend, with the youngster getting front-row seats as Rodgers conjured up magic trips along the green meadows of Lambeau.
He was instead greeted by a cavalcade of defenders, as Love appeared in six games that season.
His first opportunity came in the Packers' regular-season debut. With Green Bay trailing big against New Orleans, LaFleur turned his sights to the youthful Love in the game's final moments. He was fairly impressive, completing five-of-seven pass attempts for 68 yards while moving the chains three times as the match wound down.
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He wouldn't throw a ball again until Week 9, when the Packers faced off against the Chiefs. With Rodgers absent after testing positive for COVID-19 — Love stepped in for his first career start. It was a trying affair for the rookie, as he completed just 55.8 percent of his throws during Green Bay's 13-7 loss to the eventual Super Bowl runner-ups.
Love tossed a handful more passes in the final two games of the season. He finished the year completing 58.1 percent of his pass attempts for 411 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions.
2022
Love continued to fill in as needed for Rodgers. He didn't see quite as much time as he did in the preceding season, but he was impressive in limited minutes, completing 14-of-21 passes (66.7 percent) for 195 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions across four appearances. It set the stage for a breakout 2023.
2023
Love emerged as one of the best young passers in the league. In his first full season as a starter, Love was seventh in the league in passing yardage, second in the league in passing touchdowns, and 11th in the league in passer rating.
Why did Jordan Love sit behind Aaron Rodgers?
Love's deference to Rodgers was a product of Rodgers' sparkling performances. A-Rod was still producing at an All-Pro level when Love made his bow at the next level. He captured two MVP trophies while Love was accruing knowledge in the shadows.
It seemed Green Bay's front office had hoped that Love's pathway could mirror that of Rodgers, who spent three seasons standing by as Brett Favre finished off his Hall-of-Fame Packers career. Rodgers was arguably a better mentor than his predecessor — he's been a more efficient passer throughout his career than Favre was. Perhaps Love could coax even more knowledge from his relationship with Rodgers.
To that end, early returns have certainly been promising.
Jordan Love stats vs. Aaron Rodgers
Love still has quite a ways to go to match Rodgers' legendary career. When it comes to his first season as a starter, though, the current Packers signal-caller is in some pretty good company.
Here's how Love's numbers in 2023 compare to Rodgers' stats from '08, his first year as a starter in Green Bay:
| Jordan Love, 2023 | Aaron Rodgers, 2008 | |
| 17 | GP | 16 |
| 9-8 | Record | 6-10 |
| 96.1 | Rate | 93.8 |
| 372-579 | Comp/Att | 341-536 |
| 64.2 | Comp. Pct. | 63.6 |
| 4,159 | Pass Yds | 4,038 |
| 32 | Pass TDs | 28 |
| 11 | INT | 13 |
