Nobody divides opinion quite like Aaron Rodgers, but Jordan Love has set the record straight on their relationship once and for all.
The Green Bay Packers shocked the world by trading up to draft Love just three months removed from an NFC title game appearance. Despite being blindsided by the pick, Rodgers was adamant that he wanted to do things differently from Brett Favre, who famously didn't take too kindly to the Packers drafting his replacement in a similar fashion.
In an emotional and powerful article for The Players' Tribune, Love shed light on how Rodgers handled his arrival.
"But before me and Aaron could even talk, the narrative was rolling. And it's so crazy to me, because from the jump, Aaron was great with me," Love writes. "He laid out how he was in my same situation, and that he wanted to make sure there was no hostility. I told him I just wanted to learn and soak it all in."
Jordan Love ends any doubt over Aaron Rodgers' leadership once and for all
Packers fans knew this already. Anyone who attended training camp near the end of the Rodgers era witnessed it. Rodgers took Love under his wing, helped him learn, led by example, and ensured the Packers' future QB1 received the warm welcome he wished he'd had.
It didn't end after Rodgers' departure, either. He texted Love after the Packers' victory in Week 1 of the 2023 season, the first game of the post-Rodgers era, and again before his playoff debut.
Rodgers is still one of Love's biggest fans.
Love wasn't ready to start in his rookie season. That showed in Year 2 when he looked lost in his first career start against the Kansas City Chiefs. But during his three years on the bench, Love had a front-row seat to Rodgers' consecutive MVP campaigns, learning priceless lessons he built into his own game.
From the footwork to the hard counts to catching defenses with 12 players, it's evident when watching Love how much he learned from Rodgers.
The four-time MVP splits opinion. He is no stranger to sharing his strong stance on various subjects, and many either love him or love to hate him. No matter where you stand on that debate, there's no denying how well Rodgers treated Love. He is often portrayed as the grumpy veteran who made life difficult for his successor.
Quite the opposite.
Packers fans watched Rodgers welcome Love and mentor him in real time. Now, Love has ended any doubt, once and for all.