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New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Packers' Matt LaFleur rejects notion that Jordan Love regressed in 2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Aaron Rodgers led the Packers to a Super Bowl title in his third season as a starter back in 2010. Fifteen years later, Jordan Love is entering his third season as Green Bay's starting quarterback. And though general manager Brian Gutekunst called for more urgency inside the building ahead of a season in which he thinks it's time the Packers compete for a Super Bowl ring, it's fair to assume he wasn't mandating Love wins Super Bowl MVP like Rodgers did at age 27 (Love turns 27 in November). Advertisement Even so, after a divisional-round exit and a wild-card loss in his first two seasons starting, Love has his sights set as high as Rodgers took the Packers, even if he's not comparing his career trajectory to that of arguably the best player in franchise history. 'You talk about Super Bowl, that's the goal for us,' Love said on Wednesday after OTA practice. 'We talked about that last year, and that's the same message this year. We're trying to win a Super Bowl. I'm definitely trying to be that guy to be able to take this team and lead them to that. 'When you talk about Aaron and what he did in his third year, I never try to compare because that's so hard to do. There's so many different situations that go on, but at the end of the day, I've been here — going on Year 6, going on my third year playing. Everything is right there in front of us and for this team. It's just about going out there, executing, but the goal is a Super Bowl. That's the mindset we have, and we're going to put in the work to be able to hopefully get there.' Jordan Love: 'You talk about Super Bowl, that's the goal for us … I'm definitely trying to be that guy to be able to take this team and lead them to that. When you talk about Aaron and what he did in his third year, I never try and compare because that's so hard to do.' — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) May 28, 2025 Love probably needs to play like a $220 million quarterback for the Packers to reach the sport's pinnacle. And not only is this a pivotal season for the Packers to get over the playoff hump, but you also could argue it's a pivotal season for Love to prove he's more the 2023 Jordan Love than the 2024 version. However, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur doesn't ascribe to the notion that Love regressed from Year 1 to Year 2 as the starter. Advertisement In his first season at the helm of Green Bay's offense, Love began slowly but played like an NFL MVP in the second half of the season. Love threw 18 touchdowns to one interception in the final eight games of the 2023 regular season and finished with 4,159 yards, 32 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. Because of such a strong finish, perhaps the bar was set unreasonably high for Love entering his second season, at least outside the team. His 2024 season was rocky — he threw for 3,389 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in the regular season. But there was a sprained MCL in Week 1, a sprained groin in Week 8, an inability to get into a practice rhythm because of injury until the second half of the season and drops (according to TruMedia, the Packers ranked 27th in the NFL with 29 drops). Love's footwork and decision-making weren't always the best, but LaFleur sounds like he believes in his defense of Love. 'I think there's like a narrative out there for whatever reason that he wasn't as productive as the year before,' LaFleur said. 'Well, he missed significant time. He missed the better of three games. Really, it was Indy. It was Tennessee. He went out in Jacksonville and then he went out in Chicago. So, you know, three games is a significant amount of time and you're not going to produce as much from a numbers perspective … and also, let's be honest — we've talked about this — we did have a lot of drops last year. 'So there's other circumstances that play into it. I think all in all, everybody's going to be better, though.' Added wide receiver Jayden Reed, who tied for fifth in the NFL with 10 drops: 'I think (Love) does a great job. We've just got to help him, rally around him and just be better for him.' Something LaFleur didn't mention Wednesday in defense of Love's 2024 performance is that the Packers leaned more on the run than in any of LaFleur's prior five seasons as head coach. Love didn't have to carry the team with his right arm like he might've had to in the second half of 2023. The head coach said late in the season that Love was in a stretch of playing the best football of his career, even better than the final eight games of the regular season prior. Last season didn't finish with Love playing that way, and he must fine-tune a couple of things, footwork perhaps atop that list, to once again resemble a quarterback who can help the Packers, not necessarily carry them, to the promised land. Advertisement Presented Wednesday with the notion that he took a step back in 2024, Love offered as much of an animated response as the calm, cool and collected quarterback has given. 'I mean, what is a step back is what I'd ask?' he said. 'You know what I mean? Everybody has different opinions, things like that. You gotta block that stuff out. It's all about the goals of the team at the end of the day. I'd say we won more games than we did the year before. That's why I ask people, what is a step back? 'Like I said, everybody has opinions, things like that. Try to block that out and focus on doing me and being the best player I can be, like I've talked about, and go forward. But at the end of the day, personal stats, things like that, that's all in the back. You gotta focus on the goals of the team, first and foremost.' The Packers' goal is a Super Bowl, but they first must prove they've reached the same tier as the NFC's elite. Last season, they went 11-6 but finished third in the NFC North. They went 0-5 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings — the three NFC teams with better regular-season records — before losing again to Philadelphia in the playoffs. The Packers won't have to wait long this season to show that the gap is closed. They host the Lions in Week 1. If they win, maybe then we can realistically discuss Love's wedding day this summer not being the only time he gets a ring.
New York Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Packers WR Jayden Reed clarifies report about role: ‘A lot of people misinterpreted that'
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed knew what reporters wanted to ask even before fielding his first question of the offseason. 'Y'all been waiting to hear from me, huh?' Reed said as he walked in front of microphones at Lambeau Field after Wednesday's OTA practice. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that in early May, Reed's new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, met with general manager Brian Gutekunst to clarify Reed's role after the Packers drafted wide receivers Matthew Golden in the first round and Savion Williams in the third. Schefter reported that the Packers informed Rosenhaus that those draft picks wouldn't affect Reed's status as their top receiver. The question lingered whether Reed was unsettled after the draft and wanted reassurance about his depth chart standing or if Rosenhaus had spoken with Gutekunst on his own. 'A lot of people misinterpreted that,' Reed said. 'I hired a new agent and we talked about it before even the draft, really, that he said he was going to talk to the front office and everybody here to just catch up and make sure everybody's on the same page. As a new client, he told me that's the way he was going to do it and he did it. Now, I don't know how it got out because it was supposed to be confidential, but that's how it goes sometimes. People get a different perception. They make their own perception, which is OK. That's how it goes sometimes.' Jayden Reed says 'a lot of people misinterpreted' the ESPN report that his new agent Drew Rosenhaus clarified with Brian Gutekunst that Reed is Green Bay's top receiver. Reed's view of the situation: — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) May 28, 2025 We never truly know what players are feeling, but it doesn't sound like Reed is too perturbed at the arrival of multiple rookie receivers. After all, it was sensible for the Packers to draft a couple given the ACL injury to Christian Watson and the fact that Green Bay's top four receivers are set for unrestricted free agency over the next two offseasons, and the team may lose more than one of them. Advertisement 'In our exit meeting … that's what they talked to me about, was just being more of a leader, being more vocal,' Reed said. 'That's what I'm trying to do because I've been in their position as well. It's not easy to learn plays and it's a lot of chaos as a rookie. (Golden) has been doing a phenomenal job. He's picked it up probably faster than I did, so I commend him on that, and Savion as well. They're always around. I tried to stick around in the huddle to make sure they're good. They've been doing a great job.' Passing game coordinator Jason Vrable and head coach Matt LaFleur say Reed's actions in practice match his words. 'I think the biggest growth, too, is the way his leadership's been right now,' Vrable said of Reed. 'I really want to commend him because he's standing behind Matthew Golden right now, helping him out with every single play.' 'He's been outstanding,' LaFleur said of Reed. 'I've been really impressed with our veterans taking these guys under their wings and kind of showing them the way and really helping them.' Jordan Love to Matthew Golden — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) May 28, 2025 Reed, a 2023 second-round pick, is probably the most talented all-around receiver on the roster. After catching 55 passes for 857 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie to go along with 8.2 yards per carry and a touchdown on 20 rushes, he finished sixth in AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. In 2024, he hauled in 64 passes for 793 yards and eight touchdowns with 10.8 yards per rush and two touchdowns on 11 carries. However, Reed finished tied for fifth in the NFL with 10 drops last season, according to TruMedia. He only caught more than three passes once in the final eight games of the regular season after doing so six times in the first nine contests. After posting three games of at least 113 receiving yards in the first nine games, Reed's single-game receiving high in the final eight games was 76 yards before catching four passes for 46 yards in a wild-card round loss to the Eagles. Reed has the talent to be Green Bay's true No. 1 receiver, even if Gutekunst's confirmation to Rosenahus was simply to appease, but he must be more consistent. Advertisement 'Drops was a problem for me last year,' Reed said. 'I've been on the JUGS machine every day this offseason. Obviously, that will help.' Reed spent the entire offseason training with teammate Dontayvion Wicks in Florida. Reed said Wicks, a fellow 2023 draft pick at receiver, is a 'great separator' because of his twitch, timing and tempo. Training with Wicks allows Reed to better implement those strengths into his own game. Fellow wideout Romeo Doubs trained with them in Florida, too, and Doubs was present at voluntary practice on Wednesday, along with the fourth receiver on the team approaching a notable contract discussion, Watson. Watson tore his ACL in Week 18 against the Bears. Watson's father said on social media that his son should return around Week 12. Gutekunst said at the combine in February that the Packers expect Watson back around the midway point of the season. On Wednesday, Watson stretched with the team and was seen jogging inside the Don Hutson Center, though he rehabbed off to the side once practice began outdoors. Nonetheless, his recovery seems to be charging full steam ahead. 'Christian's doing outstanding,' LaFleur said. 'I would say he's ahead of schedule, but again, I'm not a doctor. I'm not medical staff, so we'll see where he's at.' Christian Watson stretching and jogging here at OTAs. He tore his ACL in Week 18. Gutekunst said in February he's expected to return around the midway point of the season. — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) May 28, 2025 At some point this season, the Packers hope to have all six receivers — Reed, Watson, Doubs, Wicks, Golden and Williams — healthy. Four of those players want to get paid in the near future. One of them is a first-round pick who will certainly see the ball. The other is an intriguing third-round chess piece that coaches sound enamored with, too. Advertisement With only so many targets to go around, is putting egos aside as easy as players and coaches make it sound? Or have feathers been ruffled and will there be unhealthy tension seeping from the room? 'I think they're doing great right now,' quarterback Jordan Love said of the wide receiver room. 'They're all here. They've been working really hard, but I think any time you draft guys in your room, that's the nature of it, to feel that way … At the end of the day, there's always going to be competition. I don't think any of those guys are shying away from competition. They all want to be the best and be out there on the field. The vibes are good right now.'
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Ranking The Green Bay Packers — Position By Position
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and quarterback Jordan Love are hoping for big things in ... More 2025. The Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way. Overall, though, no one in the building was happy. The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia. Afterwards, general manager Brian Gutekunst cranked up the heat on everybody in the building. 'We need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,' Gutekunst said. 'We've got a bunch of good guys in that locker room, we've got a bunch of talented guys in that locker room, and I think it's time we started competing for championships.' Those are fair expectations. Quarterback Jordan Love is entering the prime of his career and his third season as the Packers' starter. The receiver position was addressed in the draft, while the running game was one of the NFL's best in 2024. Defensively, the Packers made strides throughout the year under first-year coordinator Jeff Hafley. Green Bay finished sixth in scoring defense (19.9), sixth in total defense and seventh against the run. The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft. With several third and fourth year players trending upward, Green Bay should be poised to make a move. 'I think they're ready,' Gutekunst said. Now, it's time for the Packers to prove their G.M. right. Matt LaFleur had arguably his worst coaching season in Green Bay last year, letting emotion get the best of him far too often. The Packers went just 1-5 in the NFC North — their worst divisional mark since 2005 — and were 0-6 against NFC powers Philadelphia, Detroit and Minnesota. LaFleur must quit fighting with fans and officials and focus on his own team. There have been 35 head coaches that won a Super Bowl, but only four of those won the big game after their seventh season with that organization. Coincidentally, this is LaFleur's seventh season in Green Bay. Jordan Love had a solid, but far from spectacular 2024 campaign. Love threw 25 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and had a 96.7 passer rating, while missing 2 ½ games due to injury. Love ranked 19th in passing yards (3,389) and completed 63.1% of his passes. Love had a passer rating of at least 107.7 in five straight games between Weeks 11-15, but was at 92.0, or less, the last four contests. Love then threw three interceptions in Green Bay's loss to Philadelphia in the NFC Wild Card game and had a season-low passer rating of 41.5. 'I think he is an ascending player that is going to get better and better and better,' Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of Love. No. 2 Malik Willis helped save the Packers' season in 2024 when Love was hurt. Willis — who was acquired from Tennessee in late August — went 2-0 as a starter, and rallied Green Bay to a win over Jacksonville when he relieved Love. Willis finished with a 124.8 passer rating, threw three touchdowns without an interception and had more rushing yards than Love. 'He was a welcome addition,' Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said of Willis. 'Really appreciative of … just how prepared he was.' Green Bay has a solid stable of backs, led by Pro Bowler Josh Jacobs. Jacobs finished sixth in the NFL in rushing yards last season (1,329), averaged 4.4 yards per carry and had 16 total touchdowns (15 rushing). The Packers also finished fifth in the league in rushing yards per game (146.8). Green Bay ran the ball on 52.3% of its plays last season — the first time the Packers ran the ball more than they threw it since 2003. After beefing up the offensive line, Green Bay could run the ball even more in 2025, meaning depth will be critical. Emanuel Wilson (502 yards, 4.9 per carry) had a solid season as the Packers' No. 2 back. Chris Brooks (183, 5.1) also played well after signing with Green Bay on Sept. 3. The wild card is second-year man Marshawn Lloyd, a third round draft pick in 2024. Lloyd played in just one game last season after spending most of the year on injured reserve with an ankle injury and an appendicitis. Green Bay's wideouts failed to make the jump in 2024 that many believed they would. The Packers then lost Christian Watson — their top deep threat — to a torn ACL in Week 18, an injury that's likely to sideline him most of 2025. So the Packers drafted speedy Matthew Golden in Round 1 and versatile Savion Williams in the third round. Both could help immediately. Of the returnees, Jayden Reed has the brightest future. He led the Packers in receptions (55) for a second straight season, had a team-high 857 receiving yards and finished second with six TD receptions. Romeo Doubs was third on the team with 46 catches last year, third in receiving yards (601) and fourth in touchdowns. But Doubs also missed two games with concussions and another after he was suspended for going AWOL from the team. Third-year man Dontayvion Wicks was a colossal disappointment in 2024. Wicks led the Packers in targets (76), but was just fourth in receptions (39) and fourth in receiving yards (415). His catch rate of 51.3% was the second worst in football among wideouts. According to Pro Football Reference, the Packers had the third-highest number of drops in football last season (33) and the second-highest drop rate (6.9%). Tight end Tucker Kraft was a Pro Bowl alternate after finishing second on the team in receptions (50) and receiving yards (707). Kraft also led the Packers with seven receiving TDs. Luke Musgrave had his second straight injury-riddled season. Green Bay has seven starting caliber offensive linemen in Zach Tom, Elgton Jenkins, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan, Rasheed Walker, Jordan Morgan and rookie Anthony Belton. Tom and Rhyan make a formidable duo on the right side of the line and Jenkins will move to center after spending most of his career at left guard. Banks, who signed a four-year, $77 million deal in free agency, slides in at left guard while Walker and Morgan are expected to battle for the left tackle job in training camp. Belton, a second round draft pick in April, can play both tackle and guard. Defensive end Rashan Gary was named to his first career Pro Bowl after posting 7.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits. Far too often, though, Gary doesn't finish the deal, which is why he has just 39.0 sacks in 90 career games. Lukas Van Ness, the Packers' first round pick in 2023, had just three sacks, six quarterback hits and six tackles for loss last year. He now faces a critical Year 3. Kenny Clark's tremendous career could be nearing the end after he posted just one sack and 37 total tackles last year. Devonte Wyatt set career highs in sacks (5.0) and tackles for loss (9.0) in 2024, but he remains an inconsistent player. Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden and Kingsley Enagbare provide depth up front. Edgerrin Cooper is a rising star who figures to be a staple of the defense for years to come. Cooper was the only player in the NFL last season with 75-plus tackles, 13-plus tackles for loss, three-plus sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Quay Walker joined Nick Barnett as the only Packers with at least 100 tackles in each of their first three seasons. Isaiah McDuffie is a tough, hardnosed respected leader. The Packers overhauled their safety room in 2024 and the improvement was dramatic. Pro Bowler Xavier McKinney finished second in the NFL with eight interceptions. That was the most by a Packer since Charles Woodson had nine INTs in 2009. Evan Williams, a fourth round draft pick in 2024, could be a future standout. And while 2024 second round pick Javon Bullard struggled at times, he showed the ability to play deep or in the slot. Cornerbacks Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine certainly played better than most would have guessed in 2024. And the Packers believe they have a versatile, rising player in free agent Nate Hobbs. Brandon McManus rescued the Packers from their kicking woes in 2024, making 20-of-21 field goals (90.5%) and all 30 of his extra points. Punter Daniel Whelan wasn't as impressive, ranking 26th in both gross (46.1) and net yardage (40.2).
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
How will flag football work at the 2028 Olympics? What you need to know
How will flag football work at the 2028 Olympics? What you need to know Show Caption Hide Caption Five NFL games we can't wait to watch in the 2025 season The NFL schedule for the 2025-2026 season has been released. Here are a few games on our must-watch list. NFL players could make their Olympics debuts as soon as the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games. But what will football at the Olympics look like? On Tuesday, multiple reports indicated that NFL owners would vote to approve the participation of their teams' players in the next Summer Olympic Games. The move opens the door for a football version of the famous "Dream Team" – the 1992 United States men's basketball team that featured 11 NBA stars – in Los Angeles in 2028. However, the event will come with some tweaks. For one, NFL fans shouldn't expect the standard tackle format that NFL fans are used to. Instead, the 2028 Olympics – the first Summer Games the United States will host since 1996 – will feature flag football as one of its new events. NFL AT THE 2028 OLYMPICS: Which players we'd like to see suit up for Team USA Olympics flag football will come with its own set of tweaked American football rules: a shorter field, fewer players and no linemen, to name a few. Here's everything you need to know about flag football at the Olympics: Is flag football an Olympic sport? In fall 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved flag football as one of five additional sports to be added to the list of events in the 2028 Olympics. Per Olympics requirements, there will be two flag football events at the Los Angeles Games: a men's bracket and a women's bracket. Will NFL players play flag football in the 2028 Olympics? Probably. Multiple reports Tuesday indicated that NFL owners would vote to allow their teams' players to participate in the 2028 Summer Games. However, the more granular details still need to be negotiated between the league, the NFL Players' Association and the Olympics. Big questions that need to be answered include how teams can be insured for injury protection, how teams will deal with potential overlap with the Olympics and start of training camp, and which teams will allow their stars to participate. Multiple teams' personnel, including Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst have already expressed trepidation on allowing their teams' players to participate, citing injury concerns. The method behind Team USA's roster construction is also something that will need clarity in the coming years. In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY in late 2023, USA Football CEO and Executive Director Scott Hallenbeck pointed out that there are already dozens of active players across both the men's and women's American flag football teams. Both teams won the IFAF Americas Continental Championship that year. Including players from those already-existing teams will need to be part of the consideration when building rosters for 2028. That's especially true after ESPN's report earlier on Tuesday that there was an expectation that the Team USA roster would be limited to 10 NFL players. 'We value the concept of the existing adult amateur players that have demonstrated true elite status and performance in (flag football)," Hallenbeck said in 2023. "So we're going to be very open-minded about anyone and everyone meeting the criteria that we set. We're going for the gold, and we will do what's necessary to put the best team together." USA FOOTBALL: 'We will do what's necessary': CEO Scott Hallenbeck wants to dominate flag football in Olympics Flag football Olympics rules According to the International Federation of American Football, the "Standard Style" of international flag football play is five-on-five, which is the format that will be implemented in the 2028 Olympics. Rather than tackling offensive players to complete a play, defenders pull a standardized flag – roughly 15 inches long by two inches wide – off of a belt worn by each player. There are no offensive or defensive linemen on either team, and games take place on a field that is 50 yards long and 25 yards wide. Rosters will have a 12-player maximum and all teams only have players of the same gender. Each team gets four downs to attempt to cross midfield for a new set of downs. An unsuccessful set of downs gives the ball back to the defense on its own 5-yard line. An interception gives the defense the ball at the spot the play ends following the interception. Teams are allowed to run the ball anywhere on the field besides the five-yard areas directly bordering the end zone. Jumping and diving as the ball-carrier in any context is illegal. Each team's defense can have a maximum of two blitzers that may rush the quarterback directly so long as all parts of their bodies are more than seven yards from the line of scrimmage before the snap. Scoring is essentially the same as standard American football, though no kicks are allowed. A touchdown is six points. The offense can then elect for a one-point try from the 5-yard line or a two-point try from the 10-yard line. A safety is two points and a defensive touchdown on a point-after try is also two points. Flag football games are 40 minutes long, split into 20-minute halves with a two-minute halftime break. The clock runs until the final two minutes of each half. During that period, college football rules for clock stoppage apply in that the clock stops after a first down, penalty, incomplete pass, runner goes out of bounds, a score or a charged timeout. If the score is tied after regulation, a modified version of college football overtime rules apply. Each team gets a series of downs to try to score starting at midfield. If the defense scores during the first series, the game is over. If neither team scores or the game is still tied after each team's first series of downs, each team gets one play for a one-point try from the 5-yard line. This continues until one team leads after both teams have their attempt.
NBC Sports
20-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Brian Gutekunst has concerns about NFL players getting injured in Olympic flag football
The NFL is expected to vote today to allow active players to participate in Olympic flag football, but not everyone is on board. Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst said he's a supporter of using the Olympics to promote American football around the world. But he doesn't think it's a good idea to risk NFL players getting hurt doing it. 'I think overall, [flag football in the Olympics is] a great thing,' Gutekunst told ESPN. 'I'd love it if we kept the NFL players out of it.' Gutekunst cited 'the risk' of injury as the reason he's not enthusiastic about NFL players in the Olympics. Although the injury rate in flag football isn't as high as in tackle football, injuries do happen in flag games. And if an NFL star gets a serious injury in an Olympic flag football game, that star's team is not going to be happy that it lost a key player in a game that might draw international attention to football but means nothing to his team. Still, NFL owners appear willing to risk it, and many NFL players appear eager to become Olympians. It looks like NFL players will be in the Olympics in the summer of 2028, with their teams crossing their fingers and hoping that they'll show up to training camp healthy.
