Jordan Love is Falling Short of Packers' Expectations

With great power comes great responsibility. For Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers, it's probably more accurate to say, "With great financial commitment comes great expectations."

Last year, Love’s story was one of triumph.

Stepping out from Aaron Rodgers’ shadow, he started all 17 games for Green Bay, throwing for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just 11 interceptions while leading the Packers to a 9-8 record and a playoff berth.

It was a promising first year as a starter, and the Packers rewarded his progress with the most lucrative contract in NFL history at the time: four years for $220 million (an average of $55 million annually.

That deal elevated expectations for Love from promising up-and-comer to franchise cornerstone. But through 17 weeks of the 2024 season, he’s fallen short of those lofty standards.

Despite now ranking second in the league in average annual salary, Love’s performance metrics tell a different story. He’s sixth in touchdown percentage, 12th in passing yards per game, 24th in interception percentage, and 26th in completion percentage. Compared to 2023, his completion percentage has dropped, interceptions have increased, and his passing yards per game have declined.

If 2023 was a step forward, 2024 feels like a step back.

To be fair, Love has faced adversity. Injuries early in the season limited his mobility and clearly impacted his performance. He’s also still relatively inexperienced, with just 31 career starts. Patience is warranted—franchise quarterbacks don’t emerge overnight, and Love has shown flashes of brilliance, particularly during the second half of last season and stretches of this one.

However, brilliance in spurts isn’t enough for a quarterback with his paycheck.

Against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17, Love completed 19 of 30 passes (63.3 percent) for 185 yards and one touchdown. While those numbers are solid, they’re far from the elite production Green Bay needs from its $55 million-a-year quarterback. “Fine” isn’t good enough when the bar is set this high.

The Packers still have reason to believe in Love’s long-term potential. His physical tools, leadership, and ability to rebound from adversity are all positives. But as the postseason looms, Love’s inconsistencies have cost Green Bay in critical matchups against top-tier opponents.

In January, there won’t be any soft matchups against the likes of the New Orleans Saints. The playoffs bring the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings—or all three. These teams boast explosive offenses capable of putting up points in bunches, and Love will need to match them stride for stride.

The postseason will be Love’s chance to prove he can live up to the contract and expectations that come with being the face of the franchise.

For Green Bay to make a deep playoff run, Love needs to be better than “fine.” He needs to show he can thrive under pressure, lead the team against the NFL’s elite, and justify the Packers’ faith in him. The stakes are clear: the time for flashes of brilliance is over—it’s time for Jordan Love to shine consistently.

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