Can Packers QB 6th Year Magic Strike a Third Time?

Packers Quarterback Jordan Love throws a pass at this week's OTA practice. He enters the 6th year of his career, the same season both Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers won their only Super Bowl.

 

Heading into the 2025 NFL season, for the Green Bay Packers all eyes will be on quarterback Jordan Love. Coming off a 2024 season in which he played through knee and groin injuries, Love will be expected to bounce back in a big way for the Packers.

And if Love can play at a high level, which we have seen in spurts over his five-year career, it would be the spark needed for the Packers to get back in Super Bowl contention, a place they haven’t been in 15 years.

 

 

Love enters his 6th season as a pro (3rd as a starter) with expectations to get the Packers back to the playoffs for the third straight season. Green Bay has made the playoffs five times in six seasons under head coach Matt LaFleur. In Love’s first two seasons as a starter, the Packers finished 9-8 and 11-6, making the playoffs as a wild card team both times.

“Talk about the Super Bowl, that’s the goal for us. We talked about that last year and it’s the same message this year. We are trying to win a Super Bowl," Love said to reporters this week at Packers OTA's. "I’m definitely trying to be that guy to take this team and lead them to that.

“When you talk about Aaron and what he did in his third year, I never try to compare because that’s so hard to do. At the end of the day, I’ve been here, going on year 6, my third year playing, everything is right there in front of us. The goal is definitely the Super Bowl, that’s the mindset we have.”

 

 

There are many parallels to Love’s first two seasons as a starter with those of his two predecessors, Brett Favre and Jordan Love.

Brett Favre’s first three seasons as a starter: 1992 (9-7), 1993 (9-7), 1994 (9-7); three wild card appearances, two playoff wins over the Lions in ‘93 and ‘94.

Aaron Rodgers’s first three seasons as a starter: 2008 (6-10), 2009 (11-5), 2010 (10-6); two wild card appearances, four playoff wins (all in 2010, including Super Bowl XLV).

Love’s first two seasons as a starter: 2023 (9-8), 2024 (11-6); two wild card appearances, one playoff win.

 

 

In the case of both Favre and Rodgers, they were both in their 6th season in the league when they were able to lead the Packers to Super Bowl titles. The way both of them got there was different.

Favre had back-to-back MVP seasons in 1995 and 1996, his 4th and 5th years as a starting quarterback. In 1996, the Packers were the league’s best team from start to finish, ending with a Super Bowl XXXI win over the New England Patriots.

For Rodgers, he did not have his first MVP season until 2011 (his 4th year as a starter, just like Favre). During the 2010 season, it was not one of his best statistically, as he went through many growing pains for a young quarterback. However, he ended the regular season on a high note, including his second 400-yard passing game in a Week 16 win over the Giants.

In 2025, Love will also be entering his 6th overall season, 3rd as a starter, like Rodgers did in 2010. Can he lead the Packers to the team’s first division championship since 2021? Based on the reports from the team’s OTA’s last weekend, the team is beginning to look more it is Love's team, for the first time in his career.

Favre, Rodgers, Love’s 4th, 5th & 6th seasons (NFL career)
Player Year Record Comp % TD Int Yards
Favre 1994 9-7 62.4 33 14 3882
Favre 1995 11-5 63.0 38 13 4413
Favre 1996 13-3* 59.9 39 13 3899
Rodgers 2008 6-10 63.6 28 13 4038
Rodgers 2009 11-5 64.7 30 7 4434
Rodgers 2010 10-6* 65.7 28 11 3922
Love 2023 9-8 64.2 32 11 4159
Love 2024 11-6 63.1 25 11 3389

* Won Super Bowl

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.

__________________________

Mitch McLaughlin is a Packers fan and shareholder residing in Sacramento, California. He will be writing Packers stories each week on Cheesehead TV. He can be found on Twitter: @McLaughlinMitch

__________________________

 

NFL Categories: 
0 points
 

Comments (21)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
Leatherhead's picture

June 01, 2025 at 12:52 pm

I don't know if there's anything magic about the 6th year, but it coincides with my own observation that young QBs win Super Bowls, and the ones that don't, probably never will.

You can't claim inexperience at that point.

Additionally, the Packers shouldn't be able to claim their running game isn't as good as it needs to be, or that the Oline isn't as good as it needs to be, or that the defense isn't good enough. The pieces are in place. If Love can't get this group to the Super Bowl, then I have to wonder if it's possible to put a strong enough team around him, or if it might be better to try something different.

0 points
0
0
HawkPacker's picture

June 01, 2025 at 12:58 pm

I agree Leatherhead. Love has enough good players around him to succeed. The pressure is on him to deliver.

0 points
0
0
LambeauPlain's picture

June 02, 2025 at 10:40 am

Do Love and his Offensive teammates have as good...or even better coaching than Favre and Rodgers? Love most definitely has to play well. Yet coaching has a huge role to play in getting to, and winning a Super Bowl. So does luck and immunity from the injury bug.

I do believe the Offensive coaching in 1996 and 2010 was superior.

0 points
0
0
WestCoastPackerBacker's picture

June 02, 2025 at 04:05 pm

The pressure is on every one of them to deliver. The WRs have to catch the ball. The RBs have to have a good season and hang on to the ball. The defense has to rush the passer. And if they don’t win a title, what do you suggest? Dump Love and start over with an unknown? There are some really good QBs in the league that haven’t won one yet. Should BUF dump Allen and CIN dump Burrows? Should LAC dump Herbert?

0 points
0
0
TarynsEyes's picture

June 01, 2025 at 01:59 pm

"Additionally, the Packers shouldn't be able to claim their running game isn't as good as it needs to be, or that the O-line isn't as good as it needs to be, or that the defense isn't good enough. The pieces are in place. If Love can't get this group to the Super Bowl, then I have to wonder if it's possible to put a strong enough team around him, or if it might be better to try something different".

If the pieces are all there/in place, then why was the team a failure last year, and please leave the record out of it, which doesn't excuse the near Division sweep, and the failure to win against .500 and better teams.

This team with its pieces 'in-place' are very behind the place of many opponents, in the NFC alone. I do not believe in Love like so many here, but I surely cannot say that he is the piece not in place.

This team doesn't have the consistent one on one winners, MLF is too easily out coached in-game, and his game plans need more to be desired. There are a lot of pieces not in place and the yearly results prove, or at least show, such to be true.

Yes, the pieces are in place to repeat the same results at best, with a better chance of failing with that. I have said it before, this team is still playing musical chairs, and having enough players for any position, doesn't mean you have the players to win the SB, less guarantee a playoff spot.

I hope this team can produce more the last few seasons have, but I'll keep my optimism in check and wait to see how it unfolds. Furthermore, I might have blame for Love, but there'll be pieces that won't be pardoned.

0 points
0
0
Leatherhead's picture

June 01, 2025 at 05:42 pm

"Why was this team a failure last year"

Because we couldn't put 5 capable offensive linemen on the field in the playoffs AND we were missing our top 3 WRs , on the road, against the Super Bowl Champion. The defense quietly had a very good day. Jacobs had a pretty good day . We were a lot closer than you'd like to admit.

I'd disagree we're behind our NFC opponents.

0 points
0
0
TarynsEyes's picture

June 01, 2025 at 06:33 pm

Are you rereading what you wrote? Because it reads like they don't have the pieces in place, trying to field 5 capable Ol guys, while the plethora of WRs, well, and the Eagles weren't the Champs when they played, as that is just a label used to take away from the loss. It also speaks to the depth, which is either, the same as the grade b, or the depth is closer to c-, which won't get you past many/any winning teams, as witnessed last season.

0 points
0
0
Leatherhead's picture

June 02, 2025 at 08:32 am

ARe you having trouble distinguishing between last season and this one?

The Eagles were the best team in the NFL last year. You can call them what you want.

0 points
0
0
TarynsEyes's picture

June 02, 2025 at 09:23 am

Again, the Eagles were not champions when the Packers played them, and by your measure, just saying they were the best means you crown them before winning it. You'll say the Packers are the best without winning anything, and you'd still be wrong.

0 points
0
0
LeotisHarris's picture

June 01, 2025 at 08:47 pm

" I do not believe in Love like so many here, but I surely cannot say that he is the piece not in place."

Even though I speak fluent Taryn, and appreciate your posts, I'm afraid I almost always never find double negatives that don't not make my brain hurt. Little help?

0 points
0
0
TarynsEyes's picture

June 01, 2025 at 11:07 pm

.

0 points
0
0
LambeauPlain's picture

June 02, 2025 at 12:01 pm

I believe many cannot say they do not find it difficult to not follow such prose.

0 points
0
0
NFLfan's picture

June 01, 2025 at 01:11 pm

Love does not have what Rodgers had and he's playing in a much more competitive division. Love does not have a WR#1, he has a couple of guys who sometimes flash but are not consistent. Golden is a rookie and cannot be expected to carry the team. Love does not have a Pro-Bowl Left Tackle who gave Rodgers tons of time to decide where to throw and he had guys who ran great routes, were reliable and almost always caught the ball. If one wasn't doing well that day, there was another. Love just does not have what most top tier QB's in this league have;-top notch WR's, top notch O-lines, gifted play-callers. For example, Mahomes has a lethal O-line, a reliable TE and a brilliant play-caller, he hasn't always had the best receivers, but the other strengths make up for it-same w/Jaylen Hurts. Love is operating at a disadvantage and there are a number of foundational reasons for this predicament. I want us to be cognizant of this and not expect him to carry the team. None of the current QBs could do what they do w/o a superior cast.
PS: Kraft may break out but he is not the play-maker that Kelce nor Kittle are. Jacobs is good but once again he is not scoring a bunch of points. Love needs some reliable play-makers--the Davantes, Nelsons, Kittles, Jeffersons etc.

0 points
0
0
13TimeChamps's picture

June 01, 2025 at 08:13 pm

"Jacobs is good but once again he is not scoring a bunch of points"

Jacobs scored 16 TDs this past season. Please tell us what "scoring a bunch of points" is in your world.

0 points
0
0
ricky's picture

June 01, 2025 at 02:24 pm

Putting this all on Love isn't fair. There are far too many parts that all have to mesh for a team to get to the SB, much less win it. The GM has to have drafted the right players. The coaches have to make those players better, and have the "next man up" ready to step in when an injury occurs. There is the matter of the schedule, when you face teams, and the disruption of non Sunday games that disrupt the regular routine for the players. Add in bad calls, that inevitable "WTF" game where nothing seems to go right. A kicker who was accurate last year suddenly falls off a cliff, and you are left searching the waiver wire and doing frantic tryouts.
And this is just scratching the surface. What the Packers need to do, as they did in the SB win over the Steelers, is to get into the playoffs and get hot. Easier said than done. But then again, it's time to be optimistic. Plenty of time to be angry and disgusted once the season actually begins.

0 points
0
0
WestCoastPackerBacker's picture

June 02, 2025 at 04:09 pm

Good call. Angry and disgusted about a guy going into his third year who was hurt on bad turf the first game after signing his big deal is just sad.

0 points
0
0
Oppy's picture

June 01, 2025 at 03:12 pm

Health is always a major factor, but aside from that.. If wicks, doubs, and reed cut the drops in half, and the OL gels, this team could legitimately compete for a title.

I have zero doubts the Packers have increased the talent across the starting lineup on the OL as well as strengthened their depth, but with 2-3 starting positions changing personnel (C, LG Certainly; perhaps RG) , there will likely be some continuity issues that need to get worked out and worked out quickly as these guys learn to play with one another in their new roles.

I don’t think they are as far behind the competition as some might. As competition in the division strengthens, the margins between wins and losses narrow.

0 points
0
0
Major Snafu's picture

June 01, 2025 at 07:36 pm

IMO the packers are an above avg team with one of the tougghest schedules this year. If it was a 16 game season and they ended 8-8 I would say this is who they are.
SB is not in the cards. Above avg run game, avg passing, avg o line an avg defense at best.

0 points
0
0
cdoemel's picture

June 01, 2025 at 10:35 pm

Oh bullshit. Their run game was 5th in the league. Their D ranked 5th in a total defense and 7th in tackling. Their O-line ranked 8th in pressure rate.

0 points
0
0
LambeauPlain's picture

June 02, 2025 at 10:50 am

For that ignorant, smarmy, and silly post you are busted to private. Now get over to the mess hall and pick up the potato peeler.

0 points
0
0
reynolds99's picture

June 02, 2025 at 02:53 am

I agree it’s not all on Love. He’s shown flashes, but without a true WR1 or elite protection, it’s tough to judge. Let’s see what happens if the young guys step up this season.

0 points
0
0