Getty Packers QB Jordan Love
Is the future of Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love the real “beautiful mystery?” One NFL analyst/insider thinks so.
That phrase, of course, was initially used by quarterback Aaron Rodgers at the end of last season to describe his future with the only team he has ever played for, but as Tyler Dunne of Go Long points out, it may more aptly describe Rodgers’ successor.
“If needed, he can start Week 1,” Dunne wrote about Love. “He can win, too. And he’s been the real ‘beautiful mystery’ all along because if Love is good, if Love is ready, if Love is everything the Packers hope he’d grow into, well, the Packers really can do whatever the hell they want. The growth of Jordan Love was the key to this standoff all along.”
In a July 16 interview with Steve Calhoun, who runs Armed & Dangerous Football and has been Love’s personal quarterback coach for nearly 10 years, Dunne asked if Love is ready to be the guy in Green Bay — and Packer Nation is going to like his response.
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Calhoun on Love: ‘He’s Calloused’
Calhoun has watched Love grow into a man over the years, and he gave Dunne some sobering insight as to why he thinks Love is going to be an unflappable quarterback.
Those who have followed his career know that Love suffered an immeasurable loss when he was a teenager when his father, Orbin Love, died of suicide, an event that has shaped the young quarterback. Calhoun discussed how that tragedy has affected Love.
“All this stuff going on,” Calhoun began, “all of this Aaron Rodgers stuff going on, all of this, ‘Jordan, are you going to be QB1? Is Aaron coming back?’ — dude that’s nothing, that’s nothing compared to losing your father and having to become the man of the house and you’re just 14 years of age. I believe there’s nothing he could face in football that will rattle him to go, ‘Oh my God, there’s just way too much pressure.’ The media killing him. The fans killing him. That’s nothing compared to what we went through when he lost his father. I don’t worry about Jordan and the pressure he’d face if he doesn’t play well all the time. If he does end up playing, there’s going to be so much scrutiny on him. ‘Oh, he’s not Aaron Rodgers! I can’t believe the front office didn’t do everything it needed to do to keep Aaron Rodgers.’ I think Jordan can handle that like a grain of salt and be a great soldier because he’s been through so much more. He’s calloused. He’s calloused. He’s going to be fine.”
Calhoun also discussed why he thinks Love already has his teammates in Green Bay behind him.
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Can Love Win Over His Teammates?
“I know just talking to him,” Calhoun added in reference to Love, “he has a lot more confidence in the playbook, knowing that he can go execute it.”
Calhoun thinks Love’s newfound confidence coupled with his athleticism will leave the Packers in a solid place offensively. “You can keep the playcalling similar as if Aaron was in there. Because Jordan is athletic enough and he can make some off-platform throws on the run,” Love’s QB coach said, also noting Love has “given the team, the front office and the coaches that confidence that it’s not that big of a gap between Aaron Rodgers — and, ‘Oh my God, there’s a big drop!’ — and Jordan.”
With training camp getting closer by the day and Rodgers remaining firmly noncommittal, we may get to see whether Calhoun is correct soon enough. Stay tuned.
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