Former NFL MVP quarterback Matt Ryan loved how Jordan Love played as a first-year starter, believes experience will help get the Green Bay Packers quarterback to the next level and is high on the group of wide receivers built around Love entering the 2024 season.
Ryan, who now works at CBS as an analyst, said he thought Love had a “great first year” in 2023. Love threw 32 touchdown passes against only 11 interceptions and led the Packers to the postseason in the first year of the post-Aaron Rodgers era in Green Bay.
So, what’s next for Love?
“The space where he takes the next steps is just cleaning up the little things, down in and down out,” Ryan said, via Alex Strouf of ESPN Milwaukee. “I think that’s going to come with experience. Having all that film to watch from last year, just cleaning up some of the simple things. Being a little more consistent. If he can do that, the sky is the limit.”
Ryan was the analyst for the broadcast of the Packers’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in December of last season. While a frustrating performance overall from Matt LaFleur’s team, Ryan said he saw throws from Love that reminded him of Rodgers.
“He made a couple throws during that game that reminded me so much of Aaron,” Ryan said. “The ability to move outside the pocket, to throw from off platform situations and deliver the ball with the velocity and accuracy that he did, I was really impressed.”
Ryan is almost certainly remembering Love’s incredible third-down touchdown pass to Jayden Reed while buying time and moving to his right against the Bucs.
Speaking of Reed, Ryan is a big fan of the young receivers — see: Reed, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks — built around Love as a young quarterback. He was impressed studying the group before the Bucs game.
“They jumped off the tape. The speed and explosiveness that they have. They’ve done a great job of putting pieces around him to be successful,” Ryan said.
Ryan, the NFL MVP in 2016, was in Wisconsin as part of the 2024 AmFam Championship Celebrity Foursome. He played alongside Andy North, Michael Phelps and Pat Connaughton at the University Ridge Golf Course in Madison. Ryan retired from football following the 2022 season.
Former NFL QB Matt Ryan comments on Jordan Love and #Packers WRs at @amfamchamp ahead of Celebrity Foursome pic.twitter.com/9b3msT7s2V
— Alex Strouf (@alex_strouf) June 8, 2024
