Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur wants quarterback Jordan Love to take on a bigger leadership role and demand more from teammates as he enters his third season as the starting quarterback in 2025.
Asked where Love can take a step next season, LaFleur pointed to vocal leadership.
“I think the next step is just to continue to evolve as a vocal leader,” LaFleur said Tuesday. “That just comes with the position naturally. I think he’s taken steps to get there but I think he can really demand a lot. Because the locker room respects him. They really respect him. They respect him not only as a person, but the work he puts in. He’s a grinder. He’s one of the guys. That’s one of his best qualities. He is one of the guys. They all respect him. But when things aren’t quite right, he can voice that as well. You know, when guys are doing quite what they are supposed to be doing. He’s one of the guys I’ve talk to about that. It just means more when it comes from your quarterback than from me or one of our other coaches.”
Even-keeled on and off the field, Love never gets too high or too low. Leadership comes in different forms, and LaFleur wants his quarterback to use his voice as the leader of the football team to provide positive influence in difficult times or when change is required.
LaFleur called Love an “ascending player” who is only going to “get better and better and better.” He said “consistency of footwork” is one area where Love can improve on the field. Injuries and missed practice time hurt him early in the season, and fundamentals fell apart at certain points in the year.
LaFleur said Love can “absolutely” play better overall, but he also thinks everything around the quarterback — including the playcalls, offensive line and receivers — can and needs to be better, too.
“Collectively, we have to be better, and I expect better,” LaFleur said.
The Packers scored 30 or more points in five straight games to get to 11-4, but Love and the passing game struggled over the final three games, all losses.