Green Bay Packers quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (12) and Jordan Love (10) run out onto the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
Green Bay Packers quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers (12) and Jordan Love (10) run out onto the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
The Green Bay Packers have a date with their past on Thursday night. Green Bay opens the preseason against Aaron Rodgers' Pittsburgh squad, reuniting them with their former franchise leader. Rodgers' old protégé shared his true feelings about going up against the legendary quarterback.
Packers QB Jordan Love spoke kindly about his former mentor during an interview before their preseason showdown.
“I’ve mentioned it time and time again: I have nothing but great things to say about A-Rod and my time being behind him and watching him, how much I was able to develop and grow in my process seeing him,” Love said on Wednesday, per Zach Jacobson. “The transition — I think for the organization, that’s something that’s never easy, and for the players, it’s not something that’s ever easy, either. For a guy that’s been here that long and done so many great things, those are big shoes to fill. For me, I try to focus on being my best and doing the best job I can for the team.”
The Packers selected Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. But he did not formally replace Rodgers until the 2023 season after Green Bay traded him to New York.
Love has been reminiscing about Rodgers throughout the past few days. He shared with reporters some of the biggest lessons he learned sitting behind Rodgers early in his career.
“I think being able to sit behind Aaron, and see just the way he was able to control the line of scrimmage, see pressures make, protection adjustments and pick stuff up, was next level, and it gave me something to build up and to see and be like, man, that's what I want to be able to do,” Love said via WFRV's Carson Fowler.
But now Love has matured into a legitimate franchise quarterback in his own right. After all, Love earned a $220 million extension during the 2024 offseason.
The Packers and Steelers don't face each other during the regular season. That means Thursday's matchup is Love's last chance to face Rodgers on the football field.