Jordan Love and Aaron Rodgers got the chance to go against each other once in their careers, and may be doing so briefly for the potentially final time this week.
Ahead of Tuesday's training camp practice, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that Love would likely be starting the team's first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
This potentially sets up what could be the final time both Love and Rodgers take the field against one another, barring a Super Bowl meeting between the two teams later this season.
There's only one problem, though: it's unclear what Aaron Rodgers' status for Thursday is.
Prior to today, all signs pointed to Rodgers playing in at least one preseason game this year, a stark departure from his past decisions. Tuesday, former Packers coach and current Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy seemed to suggest Rodgers wanted to play, saying he's "never had a quarterback that did not want to play." When Rodgers got to talk to the media, though, he was less convincing.
"It's preseason. It's not real football," Rodgers said. "So if I do, great. If not, great. Preseason's a lot different. Teams don't run anything anymore. They just really don't. ...I think preseason football is good to see guys with the pads on, under the lights, how they react to the nerves, but it's not real regular-season football."
Aaron Rodgers is unsure if he'll be playing during the Steelers preseason
Of course, Rodgers' matter-of-fact talk of the preseason was quick to make people wonder if he was going to play. While it is his first year with McCarthy on the Steelers, the two have a long history together, so it's unclear if there would be any benefit to playing. Rodgers didn't completely say he would be against playing, but as of right now, it's less clear if he'll suit up.
Should he, it'll mark the second time Love and Rodgers have faced off in as many years, albeit with much less on the line this time. Last year, the Packers beat the Steelers 35-25, in a game in which Love absolutely shined, throwing for three touchdowns and 360 yards.
Of course, prior to last year, the two quarterbacks had plenty of time to get to know each other, with Love saying on Tuesday that he learned a ton of invaluable information sitting behind the future Hall of Famer.
"I think being able to sit behind Aaron, and see just the way he was able to control the line of scrimmage, see pressures make, protection adjustments and pick stuff up, was next level, and it gave me something to build up and to see and be like, man, that's what I want to be able to do," said Love on Tuesday (via WFRV).
"It's something that I had to put a lot of time in at practice and scout team, obviously getting my opportunities in the game to be able to understand what I have to work on and get better at, but it's definitely the area I've probably came the farthest in."
Even if both quarterbacks don't end up playing, Love and Rodgers will almost assuredly link up before or after the game, giving Packers fans potentially one last chance to see the two eras of Packers quarterbacks meet up.
Add us as a preferred source on Google