On the first day of summer training camp, Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur implemented a different approach. After a one-hour and 36-minute practice, he gathered the team at the center of Ray Nitschke Field.
He shared his reflections on the practice, reviewed the day’s program, and, as was customary, moved away from the center of the circle.
Then, he fell silent.
“In the past, I used to assign someone to do the summary,” LaFleur commented in a recent interview.
Matt LaFleur
The question was who would take the initiative. The answer: quarterback Jordan Love.
That’s how his third season as a starter began, marking the kind of progress LaFleur had hoped for since he challenged Love to be more communicative the previous season. Love led the Packers to the playoffs in his first two seasons as starting quarterback.
The Packers’ quarterback development strategy, which involved Love training behind Aaron Rodgers for three years, is notable. Rodgers, in turn, waited his turn behind Brett Favre for three years. In Rodgers’ third season as a starter, the Packers won the Super Bowl.
Despite the Packers’ success with this approach, it has not become a trend in the NFL, where teams usually opt for their quarterbacks to play from the start.
“Show me a team that has done that since then,” said a senior staff executive from another team.
Senior Staff Executive
The Washington Commanders, opponents of the Packers in Thursday night’s game at Lambeau Field, did not follow that path. The Commanders named Jayden Daniels, their draft pick, as the starter from the beginning.
Daniels helped transform a team with a 4-13 record into a 12-5 squad that reached the NFC final, and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year.
“I’ve been around high-level draft players; they feel like they have all the answers. Jayden was the opposite. He would ask me about certain plays, why he was running a specific route this time, how he could improve timing. It was the humility that caught my attention,” said Zach Ertz, Commanders tight end.
Zach ErtzJordan Love tuvo un récord de 9-8 en su primer año como quarterback titular de los Packers y 9-6 en 2024, perdiéndose dos partidos por una lesión de rodilla.
AP Photo/Morry GashLove’s situation was different. Steve Calhoun, Love’s personal quarterbacks coach since high school, explained:
“Jordan’s situation, he came in behind Aaron and the offense isn’t tailored to Jordan. He had to learn to play the same way that coach LaFleur was calling the game for Aaron.”
Steve Calhoun
Of the six quarterbacks selected in the first round last season, all but one played as starters at some point in their rookie season. The Packers’ patience paid off, and six years later, Love took over the team’s leadership.
“It’s just that he matured and saw the opportunity for his voice to be heard. I don’t think last year, maybe at the beginning of the season, was that moment. Or even the year before. I think Jordan does a great job analyzing everything and seeing when it’s his voice and when it’s his moment to be that leader,” Calhoun said.
