As the Green Bay Packers embrace their new youth movement, they are affording new players the opportunity to make a name for themselves not only on the field but also in the locker room.
Moving on from Aaron Rodgers, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Marcedes Lewis, Adrian Amos, and Mason Crosby among others means the Packers have lost a lot of their veteran voices from previous seasons. While the team still has some established star veterans like Jaire Alexander, Kenny Clark, Aaron Jones, and David Bakhtiari, Green Bay will expect its young players to find their voice and fill the leadership void.
That puts new QB1 Jordan Love in a unique position. Love’s time backing up Rodgers prepared him not only for life on the field but also for how to be a team leader. Based on early comments from Love and his teammates, it looks like the first-year starter is ready to tackle the challenge in his own way.
Love has a lot of responsibilities after taking over quarterback duties from a future Hall of Famer. But after 18 years in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers was more than the main guy throwing the ball. He was the face of the franchise, and even the town itself to a national audience. It’s a big pair of cleats to fill, but Love believes in himself.
In his first media appearance as QB1 last week, Love appeared calm and collected — much more confident than his previous appearances. While Love admitted he had questions about his future when Rodgers signed his record-breaking contract last off-season, he’s ready to tackle his new role.
Love has a quiet but firm confidence surrounding him. He knows he’ll take his lumps in the league, but he reminds himself daily that he’s good enough. By reaffirming his belief in himself, Love believes he can overcome any obstacle.
And that’s the type of leadership he brings to his teammates. Love told the media he chooses to lead by setting an example and elevating others.
That’s ideal for such a young team. Love is surrounded by a talented but unproven group of pass-catchers he’ll need to grow with. They’ll have their ups and downs, but Love is prepared to work with them to find the best way to grow together.
“It’s easier with younger guys,” Love said. “They haven’t been around other guys who want it a certain way to look like this. It’s easier to get my point across of how I want things to run. It’ll be great.”
This shows not only that Love is willing to work with his young receivers to find the best ways to work together, but he views the offense as his to run.
So far, Love has shown glimpses of his philosophy in action through the off-season. Earlier this spring, Love invited a few players, including Christian Watson and Aaron Jones, to work out with him in order to build chemistry and cadence. By putting in the extra work now, they’ll be more likely to hit the ground running come Week 1.
Love also contacted his new backup QB Sean Clifford and each of the rookie skill-position players to welcome them to Green Bay and the team. Love is working to build chemistry and camaraderie early.
So far, Love’s teammates are reacting positively to his early efforts. Aaron Jones, in particular, has rallied around the young quarterback.
“When he talks, everybody listens even though it’s his first year starting,” Jones said last week.
Love handled the uncertainty around his future and prepared for his new role in a way that clearly resonated with his teammates. And Jones is willing to help Love with anything he needs.
That puts the team in a good position as they navigate life without their star quarterback. With Rodgers gone, the Packers are no longer Super Bowl favorites, and many analysts expect Green Bay to finish last in the NFC North. But a confident quarterback that’s won over the star veterans on the team is a great place to start defying expectations.
We’ll have to see how the season plays out. Most teams are confident in the off-season. But even if he’s unproven on the field, Love spent some time in the league observing from some great leaders. He’s seen highs and lows since joining the league, and he’s ready to bring his own brand of leadership to the Packers.
