Players Support Love ‘100 Percent’

The Green Bay Packers are harboring no ill will toward quarterback Jordan Love for his decision to not practice during training camp until he signs a contract extension.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Sean Clifford passes the football during Practice 1 of training camp on Monday. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK

GREEN BAY, Wis. – On a sunny and balmy morning, the Green Bay Packers ran out from the Don Huston Center and onto the Ray Nitschke Practice Field for the first practice of training camp on Monday.

The fans who filled the bleachers and lined the adjoining streets cheer enthusiastically the return of football to Titletown.

Lingering behind the players were quarterback Jordan Love and coach Matt LaFleur. While fellow quarterbacks Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt wore their protective red jerseys, Love was in street clothes. Instead of a helmet, Love wore sunglasses.

Until he signs a contract extension, Love will not be practicing. Love is involved in meetings and spent practice watching the action from behind the office. At one point, he struck up a conversation with general manager Brian Gutekunst.

This isn’t a holdout. It’s a hold-in. With the belief that a deal could be struck soon, there was no ill will. Rather, there was an understanding. Before the Packers can attend to the unfinished business from last season, their quarterback has some unfinished contractual business.

“I think it’s really important for us,” Gutekunst said. “At the same time, the thing that I have confidence in is we both want the same thing. We want Jordan here for a long time, give him that stability for him, and it gives us some stability for our group, as well.”

Nobody understands the business side to the sport more than the players. To a man, the players had Love’s back, with Love’s approach no doubt playing a role.

“I think it shows his character in terms of his willingness to be around his guys and support his guys,” receiver Christian Watson said. “Obviously, there’s a business side to this sport. We’re going to support him 100 percent, just like he does for us.

“He deserves every penny that he’s going to get – and more. I’m happy for him and, hopefully, he gets what he wants and we can get this thing chopping.”

Added right tackle Zach Tom:

“Jordan has the whole locker room bought in. We’re all happy for him. I knew he was the guy last year, so this doesn’t really come as any surprise, but it’s obviously good that now he’s getting that recognition and he’s going to reap the rewards for it.”

While Love waits for an extension that could make him the highest-paid player in NFL history by average annual salary, defensive tackle Kenny Clark got his big payday upon reporting to camp on Sunday. His three-year extension will keep him with the team through the 2027 season.

Love’s extension, which should go through 2028 or 2029, figures to be next on the agenda of Gutekunst and Russ Ball, the team’s contract negotiator.

“Yeah, hopefully, man. We need him, for sure,” Clark said.

Without Love, returning backup Sean Clifford took all the No. 1 reps on Monday.

“The thing about Jordan is during OTAs, he was here 100 percent of the time,” Clifford said. “He’s been working the whole summer. Guys know that. Nobody’s questioning his work ethic. Now, ihe’s got to do what he’s got to do. He’s our leader. He’s somebody that everybody can lean on.

“It’s not a question of his morals or ethics or anything like that. It’s a business at the end of the day, and I don’t think it’s going to take super-long. It’s just what he’s got to do now. But, again, it speaks volumes. He’s not in California. He’s here. I got in here at 7. His bag was already in here. He’s in early, he’s staying late. He’s doing all the little things, so it’s no worry from the players, that’s for sure.”

Clifford and rookie Michael Pratt were the only quarterbacks, meaning a heavy workload for a practice that almost hit the 90-minute time limit.

“I think during the routes-on-air (period), when you only have two quarterbacks, I was getting gassed a little bit,” Clifford said. “So, I went up to him, I was like, ‘Hey, take your time, but I’d love to have you back, brother.’

“He’s got to do what he’s got to do. At the end of the day, I think that Green Bay does a great job of combining the family portion of this – it truly does feel like a family here – but it’s also a business. We’re here to win games and things need to get done in that sense. But I think he’s handling it really well.”

More Green Bay Packers News

What did Packers coach Matt LaFleur say before the first practice of training camp? And GM Brian Gutekunst? @JacobWestendorf has the highlights from LaFleur:https://t.co/h3VWOCj5Dn
And Gutekunst: https://t.co/U45OjWCadi

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 22, 2024

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