The Green Bay Packers have officially agreed to trade Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets. Jordan Love will be the team’s starting quarterback in 2023, and hopefully for many years after. As a result of the trade, Green Bay heads into an unknown future for the first time in 15 years. Additionally, and whether people want to believe it or not, the team needs to find a new leader in the locker room. Rodgers’ voice carried a great deal of sway among his teammates. Now, established veterans will need to fill those shoes. Former Packers wide receiver James Jones was asked by Kay Adams about the situation on her show Up and Adams.
Former Green Bay Packers Wide Receiver James Jones: “Let Jordan Love be Jordan Love”
While the territory the Packers are entering is unknown, it is not like they have not been there before. Remember, Rodgers took over for a legendary quarterback himself when he took the reigns from Brett Favre. When that happened, he was met with disdain from many fans, booed on Family Night, and faced harsh criticism. However, his play over the years elevated him above Favre in the eyes of many fans. Rodgers did not try to be Favre. He simply was himself, and that is what Jones says Packers fans should expect from Love:
“Aaron Rodgers is one of the greatest players to ever play this game… It’s disrespectful to Jordan Love to say, ‘go out there and replace Aaron Rodgers’ no, go out there and be Jordan Love.” – James Jones
📺: @FanDuelTV | @heykayadams | @89JonesNTAF pic.twitter.com/hUBOrmoP7b
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) April 25, 2023
“Well first, I mean, we got to just keep it a buck. I mean, right now you cannot say Aaron Rodgers is replaced. You know, we hope that Jordan Love does extremely well. We hope that he wins four MVP’s and all that. But Aaron Rodgers is one of the greatest players to ever play this game. One of the greatest quarterbacks to ever throw this football. It’s disrespectful to say to Jordan Love, ‘Go out there and replace Aaron Rodgers.’ No, go out there and be Jordan Love! We’re not telling you to go out there and be Aaron Rodgers.”
This is a really important point. While Aaron Rodgers did set an incredibly high bar for quarterback play, it is unfair to tell a quarterback, in his first year starting, to go out and match that level. What Rodgers did in his career with the Packers may never be matched. Ever. This is not a slam on Love, nor is it a prediction that he will not be a good quarterback. It is simply a fact that Rodgers had one of the greatest careers in franchise history.
It will do Love any good to go out and try to be Rodgers. He should go out and just be himself, and if he himself is as good as the organization believes he is, well, then that will be pretty good indeed.
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