Jordan Love released a heartfelt and revealing piece through The Players’ Tribune on Monday.
In it, the Green Bay Packers quarterback opened up about the death of his father, the vital role his mother played in his football journey, and his relationship with now-Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Love also reflected on how unlikely an NFL career once seemed for him coming out of Utah State — until a teammate gave him a reason to start believing. That teammate was Rayshad Lewis, son of Baltimore Ravens legend Ray Lewis.
“We’re just talking, and he’s like, ‘Yo, would you ever think about leaving early?’
“And I said, ‘Leaving early? Bro, I think we’d get in trouble.’
“He said, ‘No, bro. I’m talking about the league. Would you ever leave early?’”
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Love recalled giving Lewis a confused look and responding:
“Bro, I’m the backup quarterback at Utah State. What are you talking about? I’m just here for the free education. I’m hoping to get a few snaps before I get up out of here with this degree.”
Lewis wouldn’t let him sell himself short.
“Man, you gotta believe in yourself. Come on, bro. You can be a monster,” Lewis told him.
Back in 2017, Kent Myers was Utah State’s starter. Love spent most of his that season, his freshman year, learning behind him, but appeared in 12 games after Myers’ injuries forced him into action. It was the following year when everything changed.
“I didn’t start really building that true confidence until my sophomore year, when I took over as the starter,” Love wrote. “I don’t want to say it happened overnight, but it almost felt that way. We went 11–2 that season, and it was like I was just playing. Flowing. Not overthinking anything. Everything slowed down. I really, truly fell in love with the game that season.”
Love threw for 3,567 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions his sophomore year. He said that breakout year, combined with the support of his family and teammates, set the stage for his NFL journey.
“Without that brotherhood of football, I never would have made it,” Love said. “That camaraderie of football took me out of a really dark and lonely place. Through everything, the one thing that I could always count on was my friends and family. There’s just no way I’d be here without them. No way I’d have made it out of Bakersfield. No way in hell that I’d be the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.”
