GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Aug. 10, 2026, on NFL Network that Jordan Love ranks highest among quarterbacks he has coached when it comes to protections and making adjustments at the line of scrimmage, and LaFleur repeatedly stood by that assessment when asked to recant it.
LaFleur’s past signal-callers include Aaron Rodgers, Jared Goff and Matt Ryan — a group that accounts for five NFL MVP awards and three Super Bowl appearances — as well as Kirk Cousins, Robert Griffin III and Marcus Mariota. That history frames the weight of LaFleur’s praise for Love.
Despite the endorsement, the Packers’ play-calling since Love became the starter has remained heavily oriented toward the run. LaFleur has called designed runs on 43.8% of plays dating to the start of the 2023 season, a rate exceeded only by the Baltimore Ravens (45.7%) and Philadelphia Eagles (44.8%) in that span. During LaFleur’s four seasons with Rodgers, Green Bay ranked higher than 15th in designed run percentage only once, finishing ninth in 2020.
Love said he believes LaFleur fully trusts him, and the coach gave Love a notable opportunity in the preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals by letting him operate the headset and call plays in the second half, directing backup Kyle McCord. LaFleur praised Love’s calm demeanor on the headset and said the performance matched what he sees on the field.
The article also recalls how trust between coach and quarterback can take time to develop. Aaron Rodgers, reflecting on his early years, said it took several seasons working with Mike McCarthy before he felt the level of latitude that allowed him to routinely change plays, and he described sometimes-contentious meetings as part of that process.
