Jordan Love walked into the NFL in a situation as good as a first-time starter can imagine. Sitting behind Aaron Rodgers, he learned the ropes from one of the all-time greats before finally taking over the starting quarterback job from the four-time MVP. While replacing an icon like Rodgers would bring its expectations and pressure, he had the offensive genius of Matt LaFleur on his sidelines.
As a result, his transition to quarterbacking in the NFL has been extremely smooth. However, for Love, the stress began at a far earlier age on a much deeper level. When he was a teenager, Love lost his father. Since then, it’s been an arduous journey for the Green Bay Packers superstar who continues to try to make his father proud. In a heartfelt piece, Love shared some deeply personal secrets about his trauma.
Jordan Love Shares His Grief With the World
Today, it is hard to imagine Love as anything other than a quarterback. A spectacular career at Utah State, during which he tallied over 8,500 passing yards, paved the way for a first-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
While he sat behind Rodgers for the first few years of his career, he finally got the starting nod in 2023. Immediately, he showed his value to the team, leading them back to the playoffs on the back of a 4,159-yard, 32-touchdown season.
Year 2, while impacted by injuries, saw him continue that strong production as the Packers returned to the postseason. But earlier in life, Love was ready to walk away from football altogether.
Sharing his story on the Players’ Tribune, Love revealed how traumatized the experience of losing his father at 14 made him. Calling him his “best friend,” he revealed, “My world was turned upside down. I wanted to quit football. Honestly, I kind of wanted to give up on everything.”
At that point, his mother’s words became his anchor. “If you keep playing football, you know I’ll always be there for you.” Anna wanted him to continue with the sport for at least one more year to make sure that he wouldn’t regret his decision later.
“All the memories I had with him, all the great times I had. None of that is gonna be forgotten.”@jordan3love on healing after his dad’s passing. ❤️ https://t.co/9ROHYea9bB pic.twitter.com/Sjbb7Wcybg
— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) August 4, 2025
That motherly wisdom proved to be everything. But it hasn’t made Love forget his father, Orbin Jr.’s impact on him.
“When I say my dad taught me everything, I really mean everything. We’d be out in the yard from the time I could walk — no, really, from the time I could stand. Football, basketball, every sport imaginable.”
Orbin, a police officer in the Bakersfield Police Department, took his own life. It was a devastating moment for the young quarterback. But Love now chooses to focus on the good memories, like one he shared in the piece.
“There’s a picture of me from when I was a baby, and my dad is putting me up on a racehorse. I’m like one, in my diaper, and I’m chilling up on some Secretariat-looking dude.”
More than a decade after the incident, Love has started carving his legacy on one of the most illustrious franchises in the league. So far, it’s been all positive for the superstar quarterback.
His journey has been inspiring, to say the least. But, at 26, this might only be the beginning of one of the most talented young quarterbacks currently in the NFL.
