Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love injured his medial collateral ligament (MCL) during the team’s season-opening game, but did not damage his ACL and is expected to return at some point this season, according to someone familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press.
The person talked to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the team has not revealed the extent of Love’s injury. No specific return date for Love has been given.
ESPN and NFL Network were the first to report on Love’s injury. He hurt his knee on the third-to-last play of the Packers’ 34-29 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil on Friday night. ESPN mentioned Love might be out for three to four weeks, while NFL Network estimated it could be three to six weeks.
The injury happened while Love was trying to lead the Packers to a game-winning touchdown in the final moments. He had just completed a 33-yard pass to Jayden Reed that put them near midfield. On the next play, Love was under heavy pressure from Jalen Carter and Josh Sweat as he threw a backward pass to Josh Jacobs.
Carter, lying on the ground, held onto Love’s left leg, while Sweat pushed Love to the ground. Love stayed down for several seconds, then slowly got up and limped to the sideline with help.
Malik Willis, who was brought in from the Tennessee Titans, took over for Love for the last two plays of the game. Willis was sacked as time ran out before he could make a Hail Mary pass attempt.
The 25-year-old Love was playing his first regular-season game after signing a four-year, $220 million contract extension this summer. The Packers began the season with hopes of reaching the Super Bowl mainly because of Love, who led the NFL’s youngest team to an unexpected playoff spot last season as a first-year starter.
The Packers are hopeful that Love will continue the team’s long tradition of strong quarterback play, which started in the 1990s with Hall of Famer Brett Favre and continued with four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.
In the spring of 2023, the Packers traded Rodgers to make room for Love, who last season completed 64.2% of his passes for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
The only other quarterbacks to throw for at least 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns in their first season with multiple starts were Kurt Warner in 1999 and Patrick Mahomes in 2018. Mahomes (50), Warner (41), and Daunte Culpepper (33 in 2000) are the only ones who threw more than 32 touchdown passes in their first season with multiple starts.
Now, the Packers need to find a way to win without Love as he begins his recovery.
Malik Willis, a 2022 third-round pick from Liberty, is the only other quarterback on the Packers’ 53-man roster. He started three games in his rookie year and did not throw for more than 100 yards in any of them.
The Packers traded for Willis from the Tennessee Titans for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick less than two weeks ago. Green Bay also has Sean Clifford, a 2023 fifth-round draft pick, on its practice squad.
