HBO is currently releasing this year’s edition of Hard Knocks, and there is a lot of interest surrounding Aaron Rodgers and how he treats his teammates during camp and practice. Seeing how Rodgers acts around his teammates, specifically around the other quarterbacks, puts into perspective what Jordan Love experienced for three years.
Love was in a situation similar to the one Zach Wilson is in now. Both of them are young and have potential, but they needed to sit behind Rodgers to learn how to play the position at the highest level. Rodgers’ intelligence allows him to do just that. So seeing what Rodgers teaches Wilson and the influence that he provides is fascinating, especially if it’s suggestive of what Love went through for three years.
That doesn’t mean that Rodgers treated Love the exact same way that he treats Wilson. The Packers drafted Love to be Rodgers’ heir apparent, whereas the New York Jets brought in Rodgers to take Wilson’s job.
And keep in mind that other former Packers are currently with the Jets, such as Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard, Billy Turner, and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. These are all guys that Love played with during the 2021 season.
In the first episode of Hard Knocks, Rodgers talks to Zach Wilson on the headset while Wilson plays in the Hall of Fame Game. Rodgers gives Wilson advice at the line of scrimmage and tells him where to go with the ball, while coaching him up on the bench with defensive reads.
Then, in the third episode, Rodgers tells Wilson that if he hasn’t thrown the ball by his second read, he should already be moving outside of the pocket. In New York’s third preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Wilson scrambled outside of the pocket and ran for a 35-yard gain. When he came back to the sideline, Wilson and Rodgers shared a nice moment where they showed admiration for each other. That interaction can definitely improve Wilson’s confidence.
Since Rodgers didn’t play in any preseason games after the Packers drafted Love, Hard Knocks indirectly may be showing us how Rodgers treated Love during preseason games. And this year s so far Love has shown solid decision-making on the field.
Love threw a touchdown pass to Jayden Reed that was not forced but dropped into a tight window against the New England Patriots. He also scrambled for a first down in that drive while still looking down the field instead of trying to scramble immediately.
In the second episode of Hard Knocks, the quarterbacks were studying Rodgers’ play fakes with the offensive coaches, including Nathaniel Hackett. They explained how to tell a hand-off from a play fake before the fake happens. The other quarterbacks in the room would guess which one was the run and which was the pass. If Hackett established this in Green Bay, then Love has expertly learned how to fake a hand-off.
During the Jets’ second preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, Wilson used the hard count against the defense numerous times while Rodgers helped him out by asking the refs to wipe the ball down for Wilson to help him with his throws. That’s not much at face value, but it highlights how Rodgers wants to see Wilson improve on his game.
To see Hackett treating Wilson in a similar way that he treats Rodgers indicates that he wants to see every quarterback on that team succeed. Hackett also coached Love for two years in Green Bay, so the confidence that he gives Wilson after a good play may indicate how he treated Love during their time together.
In the third episode, Randall Cobb makes something clear that most people already know: Rodgers will not throw the ball to a receiver who he doesn’t completely trust. “If he don’t trust you,” Cobb stated, “he’s not gonna throw you the ball, I can promise you that.”
Did Love adopt this philosophy after playing under Rogers? It’s worth considering, because he’s working with a group of young receivers who are around his age. However, with the chemistry he has developed with Doubs and Watson, that’s probably something that will not be a concern for at least a few years.
If anything, it seems that Love absolutely trusts Doubs. Remember the Cincinnati Bengals game when he threw to Doubs for a touchdown against blanket coverage?
Also, think about the deep shot against the Patriots.
Ultimately, Hard Knocks has revealed a lot about Aaron Rodgers on the Jets. But it also shows what has potentially been brewing in Green Bay over the past few years.
