The Green Bay Packers are just days away from the start of a new era. The team has had some of the best stability at the quarterback position, with Aaron Rodgers being on the team for the better part of 15 years as a starter. Prior to that, Brett Favre was the starter for 16 seasons. After Rodgers requested a trade to the New York Jets and was granted it, Jordan Love is now the QB1 entering the 2023 season after the team traded up to select him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Now, it's a matter of whether Love is the team's long-term answer at the position.
Rodgers spoke to Bill Huber of Packer Central ahead of the season and discussed Love, as he prepares for his first year as the starting signal caller for Green Bay. Rodgers praised Love and gave him some advice -- just be himself.
"People used to always say, and I'm sure they're still saying the old adage about 'filling shoes' and all the different cliches about following a quarterback who's been there, played at a high level forever," Rodgers said, h/t Packer Central. "I have a few things I used to tell myself about some of those questions in my mind, and I think he's probably telling himself the same type of stuff.
"It just comes down to being your own man and do things the way you want to do it. The things that he watched me do that he would do differently, do it differently. Be your own guy, that's awesome. You should do that. He's a great kid. He's got all the talent in the world. They've got a really young team, so he's got an opportunity to be exactly who he wants to be and be the leader that he wants to be. I'm excited for him...
"He doesn't have to be anybody but Jordan Love. Nobody plays Jordan Love better than Jordan Love, so he's going to be fine."
Packers: Aaron Rodgers praises Jordan Love ahead of first season as QB1
The fact that the Packers traded up to select Love showed that they had belief that he could be the team's quarterback and face of the franchise, even though they still had Rodgers on the roster. The pick was ridiculed, as Rodgers went on to win the NFL MVP award in the next two seasons after the Love selection. But with Rodgers now in New York, Love has the chance to show that the Packers made the right decision to entrust him to be their starting quarterback.
Love received one start in his three years with the team, coming against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2021 season. In that start, Love completed 19-of-34 pass attempts for 190 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a 13-7 loss.
Last year, he entered in relief of Rodgers against the Philadelphia Eagles, where he completed six-of-nine pass attempts for 113 yards and a touchdown.
Throughout this preseason, Love has received positive reviews during the team's three games. Yes, it is the preseason, and you take that with a grain of salt, but given the fanbase asking themselves if Love was ready for the moment, they had to feel a bit more comfortable.
As for Rodgers, he is trying to bring the Jets back to the playoffs for the first time since 2011 and to win their second-ever Super Bowl title. The team has gone all out to bring in as much talent as possible, a la like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did for Tom Brady, to ensure the goal is much more attainable.
Love has the chance to make a statement for the team and the fanbase with a Week 1 win over the rival Chicago Bears. And Rodgers is confident that Love will do just fine as the new QB1 for the Packers.