Green Bay Packers: Matt LaFleur Explains Why Jordan Love Is Making an MVP Push

Matt LaFleur knows Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love better than just about anyone else in the world who isn't in Love's actual family.

LaFleur was a part of the duo that took a chance back in the 2020 NFL Draft and traded up to select Love, a young and extremely raw quarterback prospect, out of Utah State. Much like general manager Ted Thompson and head coach Mike Sherman years before, they took a quarterback in the first round despite having a future Hall of Famer already at the position.

In Love's case, it was Aaron Rodgers. For Rodgers, it was Brett Favre.

There was risk involved and a ton of it. Six years later and that risk has paid off in more ways than one for the Packers. Not only did they improbably get their third-straight franchise quarterback, but there's absolutely a world in which they ended up selecting their third-straight MVP quarterback in Love.

He's certainly playing like one in 2026, and he was recently honored as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Green Bay's Week 9 win over the New England Patriots.

In that 45-27 win during "America's Game of the Week" on FOX, Love completed 23 of 29 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He also ran in a 13-yard touchdown for four total scores.

LaFleur was not surprised by the honor for Love. He earned it statistically, of course, but it's the intangibles the quarterback brings to the table that really stick out for LaFleur.

"He's pretty consistent, so poised, so resilient, he doesn't allow one play to affect the next. He's playing as well as anybody right now," LaFleur told the media earlier this week.

A great quarterback has to have physical talent, of course. If Love wasn't able to chuck it a million miles down the field at just about any arm angle and off just about any base (in terms of footwork), he wouldn't be connecting with Christian Watson and Matthew Golden on those explosive plays that make the Packers' offense so fun to watch when it's humming.

That said, great quarterbacks also have to have the right "stuff" between their ears. They've got to be able to handle the pressure — both the pass-rush and the mental pressure of being "the guy" when things go good and "the guy" when things don't go good. They, of course, have to know the offense like the back of their hands. They have to be able to read a defense and react accordingly in a split second. When things go wrong, they have to be able to quickly put a bad play in the past and move forward.

It truly is the most complex position in sports, but Love is cool, calm and collected at all times. 

Combine that with his otherworldly physical gifts and like LaFleur said, it's no surprise that he's playing such good football right now.