The Green Bay Packers made quarterback Jordan Love the highest-paid player in NFL history when they agreed to a four-year contract worth $220 million. The deal includes a $75 million signing bonus, which is the largest in NFL history. Love also gets $155 million in guaranteed money. This was unusual decision by Green Bay, who has not guaranteed any money after the first season of a contract.
Love’s $55 million per year salary as part of his new contract is tied for the highest annual salary in the NFL. Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals and Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars also make $55 million a season.
The signing of the new contract also means that Love will start practicing with the team on Saturday. While he did report to training camp on time, he refused to participate in practices until his deal was done. Love still attended practices and participated in film sessions with the rest of the team.
Green Bay Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst Address the Process of the Jordan Love Contract Extension
Prior to practice on Saturday, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst addressed the media to talk about the Love contract extension. It should be noted that, while Love refused to practice until his deal was done, he and Gutekunst were never at personal odds or had negative feelings regarding each other (remember, Aaron Rodgers wanted Gutekunst fired).
During his press conference, Gutekunst was highly complementary of Love and the way that he handled the process.
LIVE: GM Brian Gutekunst meets with the media. 🎙️@BellinHealth | #PackersCamp https://t.co/w7jiBstzUj
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) July 27, 2024
“I’m really proud of how [Jordan Love] handled himself through all of this. I give a lot of credit to Russ Ball and [Love’s agents]. These things are not easy, but they were very professional in how everything went down. Excited to get it done. It will be good to get him out on the practice field today.”
Later, Gutekunst said, “I think what gives me comfort is knowing he is going to work on being whatever he can be. The best version of himself. He’s done that consistently since he’s been here. To see his learning and his growth over that time, I don’t expect that to change. That’s the one thing, again, that we feel really good about. Just because of the contract, we’re not going to ask him to do anything more than what he’s been doing.”
Gutekunst also praised Love for being there at practice even though he was not participating. He said it showed everyone that he is the kind of leader that they want and need at the quarterback position for years to come.
Green Bay Packers Quarterback Jordan Love Has Come a Long Way Since 2020
When the Packers traded up to select Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, they were highly criticized for the decision. While Rodgers was unhappy with the organization for selecting Love, he did not treat his heir apparent with contempt as Brett Favre had treated him.
Three years learning from Rodgers and quarterbacks coach Tom Clements helped make Love into the player that Green Bay thought he could be.
During his press conference on Saturday, Gutekunst told reporters that he/the Packers never had any doubts that Love was going to be their next great quarterback. “He made so many big-time throws early,” Gutekunst said. “It was just a matter of finding consistency.”
In order to get consistent, Love needed to play.
And play he did. In doing so, Love proved the Packers right in their decision to draft him and all of his doubters wrong for slandering him.
And now he’s the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history.
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