With a spot in the NFL playoffs secured, the Green Bay Packers turn to Clayton Tune at quarterback. Discover the former Houston star's path to this unexpected Week 18 start.
Jordan Love has cleared concussion protocol, but the Green Bay Packers apparently don't want to risk him in a Week 18 game against the Minnesota Vikings, which essentially means nothing.
The Packers also apparently don't want to risk it for Malik Willis, who is entering a big-time free agency period in which he's absolutely going to get paid. Willis has been dealing with a shoulder injury for the past two weeks, and he also has a gimpy hamstring that he suffered in Week 17's loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
What that means is that Clayton Tune will be getting the start for the Pack in Week 18, and at this point, why not?
For the Packers, the only thing that could change in this game is finishing the 2025 season at 10-6-1 or 9-7-1. One feels a bit different than the other, but it isn't very meaningful in the grand scheme of things. They're locked into the NFC's seventh seed in the playoffs either way.
Again, why not go with Tune? Save Love for the playoffs and do right by Willis by keeping him healthy heading into free agency. Heck, the Packers may even need him in the playoffs, so it's a win-win.
So who is Tune?
Checking in at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds from Plano, Texas, Tune was a fifth round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
He played his college ball at Houston, where he was absolutely prolific for the Cougars. In five seasons, including a redshirt season, he threw for 11,996 yards and 104 touchdowns compared to 41 interceptions. He also scrambled for 15 touchdowns on the ground.
The Cardinals selected him No. 139 overall in the 2023 Draft as a developmental pick.
As a rookie in the 2023 season, he appeared in seven games and made one start. That start came on November 5 against the Cleveland Browns, but it wasn't encouraging. He threw for just 58 yards with two interceptions.
Flash forward to last weekend against the Ravens, and Tune, who had been on the Packers' practice squad, was thrust into action when Willis had to leave the game with a shoulder injury.
Again, the results were far from encouraging. He completed just 1-of-4 passes for eight yards and an interception. To be fair, the interception wasn't his fault because it was a tipped-ball that hit the hands of wideout Bo Melton, but Tune's career stats as an NFL quarterback as a whole are nothing to write home about.
In 14 games played with one start, he's completed just 15-of-27 passes for 78 yards and no touchdowns with three interceptions.
It tells you how little Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur cares about this Week 18 game against the Vikings, because Tune will get the start on Sunday afternoon.