The Green Bay Packers lost 34-29 to the Philadelphia Eagles in their opener, and now the team might have to navigate its next several contests without its star quarterback.
Jordan Love exited the game with six seconds left with a sprained medial collateral ligament. Love is expected to miss a few weeks, but his season is not in jeopardy, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the injury has not been officially announced yet.
Asked about Love’s status after the game, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said, ‘I don’t know.’
On first-and-10 with 15 seconds remaining on the Packers’ 49-yard line, Love tried to buy extra time to find an open receiver, but he was hit low by Eagles DT Jalen Carter and edge rusher Josh Sweat up high as he fell awkwardly to the field.
Love managed to get the football to RB Josh Jacobs before he hit the ground.
PLAY TO WIN $5K: USA TODAY’s Pro Football Survivor Pool is free to enter. Sign up now!
The quarterback stayed on the field in noticeable pain. Green Bay’s medical staff tended to Love for a few moments before he walked off the field with his arms around Jacobs and a team staffer.
Backup Malik Willis replaced Love for the final two plays of the game. Willis was sacked on Green Bay’s final play as time expired.
Love was helped to the tunnel following the loss. He produced 260 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
‘Obviously, you don’t want to see the leader of your team get hurt,’ Jacobs said after the game. ‘We don’t know the severity of his injury, but hopefully he’s OK.’
The Packers signed the 25-year-old quarterback to a four-year, $220 million contract extension – tying him for title of the league’s highest-paid player – in July after his superb first year as a starter. Love led Green Bay to the postseason in 2023 and became just the third NFL quarterback to throw for over 4,000 passing yards and 32-plus touchdowns in his first season with multiple starts.
The 0-1 Packers host the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2.
