If anyone knows what it’s like to be in Jordan Love’s shoes, it’s Aaron Rodgers.
Ironically, Love went through what he did this offseason because of Rodgers. No one knew if Rodgers would be under center for the Packers this season. Him not playing at all was even a possibility, as Rodgers contemplated retirement.
While it’s uncertain who Rodgers kept in the loop about his plans for 2021, we know Love was updated during the offseason.
During his Wednesday press conference, Rodgers said, “I reached out a number of times [to] check on him [and] see how he’s doing. I didn’t hold things from him. I let him know where I was at mentally and what I was thinking about, and hopefully he appreciated that.”
When the Packers selected Aaron Rodgers in the 2005 NFL Draft, Brett Favre was far from thrilled. “My contract doesn’t say I have to get Aaron Rodgers ready to play,” Favre infamously said at the time. “Now hopefully he watches me and gets something from that.”
Presumably, Rodgers did. His years learning from one of the greatest to ever do it most likely helped him develop into the quarterback, Super Bowl champ, and three-time MVP he is. At the very least, it certainly didn’t hurt him.
Déjà Vu
15 years later, the roles have reversed for Rodgers. Now, he’s been tasked with interacting and competing with a young QB his team selected to presumably replace him someday.
Rodgers admitted that he wasn’t “elated” when the Packers moved up to select Love in the 2020 draft. “Once I got that text [that Love was the pick], I went to the pantry, I poured myself about four fingers [of tequila]…” Rodgers told NFL Media’s Kyle Brandt on his podcast.
However, Rodgers has repeatedly made it known that he harbors no hard feelings towards Jordan Love, understanding Love had nothing to do with the pick. He’s made that clear by the way he’s mentored and kept Love updated this offseason.
“I have a lot of respect and love for Jordan, and I understand it’s got to be tough what he went through,” Rodgers said. “I went through it for two years in the offseason, going in ’06 and ’07.” He explained, “I was the guy the entire offseason, going through quarterback school, going through most of the OTAs, taking all the reps, and then here comes Favrey coming back — and obviously I’m back on the bench. Thankfully I went through that, and I can understand a little bit about what he’s going through, so I just try to keep that in mind the entire time.”
Additionally, Rodgers added, “I just felt that’s what I would want in that situation, just to hear from the guy. And also, there’s a love and an appreciation and a friendship there, just like it was with me and Brett. So I wanted to make sure I checked in with him and let him know I was thinking about him.”
Favre helping Love?
Clearly, Rodgers’s experiences, both good and bad, with Brett Favre over a decade and a half ago have influenced how he treats Jordan Love. Though the situation the quarterbacks are in might not be ideal, they’ve navigated it professionally and with respect for one another.
So thanks, Brett Favre. Aaron learned from the best — not just how to play football, but how to best navigate his present situation. And ultimately, it’s benefited Jordan Love immensely.
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