NFL
Who is Jordan Love’s backup? The Green Bay Packers’ second string QB
An injured Love required assistance to walk to the sideline at the end of the Packers’ defeat to the Eagles in Brazil.
The start of the 2024 NFL season hasn’t gone to plan for the Green Bay Packers. Matt LaFleur’s team took part in the first ever NFL game played in South America, but were beaten 34-29 by the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo, Brazil. And to make things worse, quarterback Jordan Love suffered an injury right at the end of the game.
What injury did Jordan Love suffer against the Eagles in Brazil?
With only six seconds left on the clock, Love hobbled off with what appeared to be a lower left leg injury. The 25-year-old needed initial assistance to get to the sideline and was also helped to the locker room by head athletic trainer Nate Weir and running back Josh Jacobs, although he did look to moving slightly better by that point.
Love didn’t speak to the media after the game, with LaFleur simply saying “I don’t know” when asked about his quarterback’s condition.
On Saturday, the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero revealed Love hadn’t suffered an ACL injury but that he would undergo tests, including an MRI scan, when the Packers returned to Green Bay to assess the extent of the damage.
How long will Love be out for? Who will replace him?
It has now been revealed Love is looking at three to six weeks on the sidelines due to an MCL spain.
That means backup Malik Willis will step in to play quarterback in his place. The 25-year-old was traded to the Packers by the Tennessee Titans for a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft less than two weeks ago.
Willis was selected by the Titans in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft but has only featured in 11 games in the last two seasons, with just three starts. The Georgia native completed 35 of 66 passes in those contests, with no touchdowns and three interceptions.
In three preseason games for Tennessee, Willis completed 20 of 27 passes (74.1%) for 205 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, helping the Titans defeat the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and New Orleans Saints.
Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt featured as quarterbacks in the Packers’ three preseason encounters. The former is currently part of Green Bay’s practice squad, while the latter was released after Willis’ arrival, later signing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad.