Boyle Takes the ‘Laser Show’ to Detroit

Who knows, maybe someday a Packers-Lions matchup will feature Jordan Love vs. Tim Boyle.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Tim Boyle Laser Show is on his way to Detroit.

The Detroit Lions signed the former Green Bay Packers quarterback on Wednesday night, where he’ll be the backup to new starter Jared Goff.

Or, perhaps, he’ll ultimately challenge Goff for the starting job.

A strong-armed quarterback with horrendous production in college, Boyle went undrafted in 2018. During his rookie training camp with the Packers, fellow Connecticut native and then-Athletic Packers beat writer Michael Cohen coined the “Tim Boyle Laser Show” nickname because Boyle was, well, throwing lasers on the practice field.

Discussing the nickname at his locker one day in training camp in 2019, while he was on the way to decisively beating out DeShone Kizer for the No. 2 job behind Aaron Rodgers, Boyle’s face turned slightly red with embarrassment.

“It’s flattering that you guys think I have a strong arm,” he said.

Boyle is much more than a strong arm. He’s turned himself into a legit quarterback. He latched onto Rodgers during their time together. He famously wore a Rodgers jersey in the locker room the day after Rodgers’ memorable come-from-behind victory over Chicago in 2018. He hovered outside the media horde gathered at Rodgers’ locker for the quarterback’s weekly Wednesday media sessions pre-COVID. This past summer, he and Rodgers engaged in WWE-style wrestling matches on the practice field.

Physically and mentally, Boyle made leaps-and-bounds improvement the past three years after having statistically the worst career for any collegiate starter over the past couple decades while at Connecticut and then Eastern Kentucky.

Those struggles are but a distant memory now as Boyle hasn't wasted an opportunity to turn himself into a promising professional quarterback.

“I don’t think a lot of people understand just the backup’s role on a game week is to support the room,” Boyle said during training camp. “Obviously, that starts with me being there for Aaron and doing what he needs me to do from a test standpoint or watching film and seeing how a corner plays a certain ball. But my job is to be there and support him. I think last year, I came into myself a little bit and got comfortable. I was able to speak openly and I wasn’t that shy anymore. I felt like I had a voice and I felt respected, which was nice. But being around ‘12’ is helpful from a mental standpoint and a physical standpoint. I felt like it came to me last year. I felt comfortable being in the room and I felt respected, which was obviously appreciated.”

In 2019, Boyle had a sensational preseason with six touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 112.9 passer rating to crush the touted Kizer to be Rodgers’ backup. However, it was Boyle who was crushed on the night of April 23, 2021, when the Packers selected Jordan Love with their first-round pick.

“I was with a good friend of mine and my two sisters out by my fire at my house,” Boyle recalled. “It was late. I can still remember it. Honestly, it’s probably a feeling I’ll never forget. Just, obviously, seeing the name ‘Jordan Love’ pop up and my heart drops a little bit. But, at that point, it’s out of your control and it’s time to go back to work.

“That’s how I approached my offseason was I don’t get paid to make those decisions. I’m here to compete and have a good timing doing it and bring some smiles to the party and be the best quarterback I can be. By no means is it Jordan’s fault or anyone’s fault. Jordan’s a great guy and we’re obviously very lucky to have him. I think at first, it was a little shocking just from an, ‘Oh, man, we got a first-round quarterback’ and all those thoughts rush into your head but then you settle down and go back to work.”

Boyle went on to crush Love in training camp to retain the No. 2 position. Love didn’t have a prayer, not with the elimination of offseason practices, a late start to training camp and no preseason games, but it probably wouldn’t have mattered, anyway. Boyle was superb all summer.

“I’ve seen a change in my approach and I think my play,” Boyle said. “When you’re around a dude who throws like Aaron, I’ll feel myself in the pocket, and Aaron does some funky stuff with his arm angles, and I feel myself doing that. Right after I do it, I almost feel like, ‘Wow, that was almost Aaron Rodgers-esque.’ He’s definitely rubbing off on me a little bit. I obviously have my own style and my own rhythm, but being around him has really improved my game both physically and mentally. I definitely feel like my confidence is on the rise.”

With the enormous investment in Love in terms of draft picks (first- and fourth-round picks) and financially (a four-year, $12.38 million deal that’s fully guaranteed), the Packers had little choice but to let Boyle go and hand the backup role over to Love. And with Love having blocked Boyle’s path to playing time, Boyle needed to move on.

With Detroit, agent Billy Conaty found Boyle the perfect opportunity. The first pick in the 2016 draft by the Rams, Goff had strong seasons with 60 touchdowns vs. 19 interceptions in 2017 and 2018. The past two seasons, though, he threw 44 touchdowns vs. 29 interceptions. So, the Rams shipped him to Detroit for star quarterback Matthew Stafford.

To be sure, Goff will get the first crack to be the Lions’ starter. But don’t be surprised if Boyle makes a play for playing time. And, who knows, maybe someday a Packers-Lions matchup will feature Love vs. Boyle.

“I just needed the right kind of motivation and players around me and coaches, and I think I found that here,” Boyle said during camp. “Yeah, I’ve definitely had a few of those moments where you kind of just take a step back and you think about the journey and the perseverance and a smile starts creeping up on your face a little bit. But I don’t really stay in those moments. It’s always back to work because there’s always competition and my career could be very short. That’s completely determined on what I do and what I bring to the table. That falls on me.”