Packers QB Jordan Love ‘super excited’ to play in the preseason opener
Jordan Love hasn’t played in a real football game since the Senior Bowl in January of 2020.
It’s fair to say the Green Bay Packers quarterback is excited for the team’s preseason opener on Aug. 14.
“I’m super excited for it,” Love said. “The last time I’ve played in a game was the Senior Bowl coming out of college. A little over a year and a half ago, I think. Super excited. This is the moment I’ve been preparing for, even since last year not having the preseason. It’s almost like I’ve almost been training a year for this first preseason game. I’m super excited to get out there and get back to playing ball.”
Love, a first-round pick of the Packers in 2020, didn’t get a preseason as a rookie and was inactive as the No. 3 quarterback for all 18 games. The preseason opener against the Houston Texans next Saturday will be the first time he’s suited up for a game since Jan. 25 of 2020, a span of 567 days or almost 19 months.
Love will get thrown directly into the fire over the next few weeks.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur has said several times that the team is expecting Love to handle a majority of the snaps during the three exhibition games this month. It’s a matter of a young quarterback making up for lost time after not having a preseason last year, and the Packers don’t need veteran Aaron Rodgers taking many snaps during preseason games.
The reps should be vital to his development. Participating in practice situations is one thing; taking live snaps against an opponent is a whole different animal.
Love pointed to his footwork within plays and the understanding of defenses pre-snap as the biggest steps in his development so far in his young NFL career. He will get opportunities to improve on both during the preseason, even if he’s going into his second season as the backup.
With Rodgers’ future uncertain, Love said he mentally prepared all offseason to be the starter. And he got all the reps during the offseason workout program, providing a boost to his confidence and performance coming into training camp.
“Me being able to get all those reps, that was huge,” Love said.
The future Hall of Famer in his room has been helpful, too.
“It’s kind of like The Master and The Padawan kind of thing. Trying to learn as much as I can from him,” Love said. “Me and Aaron’s relationship is really good.”
