Inside Jordan Love’s Untold Stories: What Aaron Rodgers Taught Him Beyond the Field

There’s something electric about the winds of change blowing through Green Bay — a tale of mentorship, competition, and evolution unfolding right before our eyes. This Sunday, Aaron Rodgers steps onto the field against the very team he helped shape for years, but what makes this matchup truly captivating is that Jordan Love, the young quarterback who took up the mantle in Rodgers’ absence, faces off against his own guide and teacher for the very first time. Traded in 2023, Rodgers’ departure was a turning point, a nod to the future that Love has been meticulously preparing for since his draft in 2020.

It hasn’t been an easy road for Love to step out of Rodgers’ formidable shadow. He’s juggled respect and ambition, pressure and opportunity — striving to carve out his own identity while carrying the lessons from a two-time MVP. The dynamic between mentor and protégé hasn’t just ended with a trade; Rodgers continues to offer guidance from afar, sharing insights on footwork and play execution via text messages, a connection that adds layers to this story of young ambition meeting seasoned mastery.

Now in his third season, Love is off to what might be his best start yet — with a completion percentage near seventy, double-digit touchdowns, and a passing rating hinting at promise and poise. Watching him grow, navigating the pressures Rodgers once owned, offers a compelling narrative of legacy, respect, and the bittersweet beauty of passing the torch. And as they prepare to square off, fans aren’t just witnessing a game — they’re experiencing the unfolding of a quarterback saga that’s as much about heart as it is about talent. LEARN MORE.

Aaron, Aaron, Aaron.

While Sunday will mark the first time Aaron Rodgers has played his former team, it’s also the first time that Jordan Love has played his mentor. Rogers was traded in 2023 to make way for Love to take over as the Packers’ starting quarterback.

“It was definitely difficult . . . understanding who you’re taking over for,” Love said Wednesday, via Mike Spofford of the team website. “The main thing for me was just trying to block all that out and understand that for me, this is a great opportunity, something I’ve been waiting for, for three years behind him, watching him.

“So I knew in the back of my head I was ready, and [I focused on] how best can I go out there and try to block all that extra noise out and just play my game, and make my own name here.”

Rodgers and Love have stayed in touch since Rodgers departed for first, the Jets and then the Steelers. On Wednesday, Rodgers called Love a “great kid” and said he enjoyed his time with him in Green Bay.

He continues to mentor Love from a distance.

“A-Rod texted me and was talking about some of the plays we’d run and some of my footwork, things like that, complimenting me,” Love said. “So obviously it’s great to be able to hear from him.

“I’ve got so much respect for him, and anytime he gives me pointers, stuff like that, obviously you want to get feedback from a legend like that.”

The Packers, much to Rodgers’ chagrin, used a first-round pick on Love in 2020. Rodgers won back-to-back MVP awards in 2020 and 2021, keeping Love on the bench.

Love replaced Rodgers as the Packers’ starter in 2023, and now in his third season, he is off to his best start. In six games, he has a 69.3 completion percentage with 10 touchdowns, two interceptions and a 108.1 passer rating.

“A-Rod was obviously at a different level, so it’s something I had to build up into,” Love said. “But it was cool to be able to watch him do some things, and it just gave me perspective on how to play the position and how to be able to handle a lot of different things.”