The Green Bay Packers made a major change at the running back position this offseason. First, they announced that they had agreed to a four-year $48 million contract with 2022 NFL rushing leader Josh Jacobs, formerly of the Las Vegas Raiders. Hours later, they then announced the release of Aaron Jones, who is the third-leading rusher in franchise history.
Without Jones, Jacobs is the clear choice to be Green Bay’s starting running back during the 2024 NFL season. He will join quarterback Jordan Love, who is looking to build off of the best first season by a Packers’ starting quarterback in franchise history. Jacobs also joins a group of dynamic young wide receivers and tight ends that are primed to take a massive leap in their second year playing together.
Despite the plethora of great young talent around him in the receiving game, Jacobs is hoping that being in an offense led by Love will help him avoid a dubious NFL record.
Green Bay Packers Running Back Josh Jacobs Has Never Caught an NFL Touchdown Pass
In the course of his five-year NFL career, Jacobs has carried the football 1,305 times for 5,545 yards and 46 touchdowns. In 2022 alone, the year he won the NFL rushing crown, he had 1,653 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.
Also throughout the course of his career, Jacobs has amassed 197 receptions for 1,448 receiving yards. He has not, however, caught a single touchdown pass since he started his NFL career.
Jacobs had back-to-back seasons in which he caught over 50 passes in 2021 and 2022, and had 348 and 400 receiving yards respectively in those years.
But no touchdowns.
In fact, Jacobs is just five receptions away from breaking the NFL record for most receptions without a touchdown catch. It is a record his new quarterback is not going to let him break.
Green Bay Packers Quarterback Jordan Love Will Be Looking for Josh Jacobs in the Endzone Early
Recently, Love did an “Ask Me Anything” video for Bleacher Report. During his segment, he received a question regarding Jacobs and his proximity to breaking the NFL record for most career receptions without a touchdown catch.
The Packers quarterback was adamant that he will not allow his new running back to break that record. “No, that is not going to happen,” Love answered when asked if he was going to let Jacobs break the record. “I saw that the other day, and I’m surprised that he hasn’t had any [receiving] touchdowns yet.
“I saw [the graphic] and I sent it to him, and I said, ‘We going to get you a touchdown for sure.’ So the first pass to him might be a touchdown. Who knows? We’ll see.”
The Matt LaFleur offense is very friendly to running backs in the passing game. Before his injury-shortened season last year, Jones had 11 receiving touchdowns in two years. If Jacobs fits the offense as well as Green Bay thinks he will, he will get his first NFL receiving touchdown in no time.
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