Hall of Famer says Jordan Love must confront Matt LaFleur to finally unlock his full potential as a quarterback
Joe Thomas wants Love to be more vocal as a leader.
Joe Thomas played 11 NFL seasons and he never had the real opportunity to protect a high-level quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. Now that he’s retired and in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he has a full understanding of the talent needed to become that guy.
And the former left tackle knows that Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love has what it takes to be an elite player. For him, though, Love needs to confront head coach Matt LaFleur and demand more responsibilities within the structure of the offense.
“Jordan Love needs to take that step in accountability and leadership and understand that he is a top-five quarterback in the NFL,” Thomas said on ESPN Wisconsin, “and he needs to go into Matt LaFleur’s office and let him know ‘I want the football. I want to be able to throw the football and have a large input on what we’re doing from a gameplan standpoint and then from an in-game adjustment standpoint, from a play call standpoint on the sidelines.
“‘I want to be treated with a level of responsibility and respect that Peyton Manning did, that Aaron Rodgers did, that Tom Brady did, because if you want me to play like those guys, you’ve got to give me those expectations and that leash to be able to have that length and to be able to have those responsibilities and that trust between the two of us to unlock my capabilities and my potential.’”
Packers have been too reliant on the run game
Last year, the Packers passed the ball on only 52.31% of the offensive plays, which was 28th in the NFL. The only teams below them were the Jayden Daniels-less Washington Commanders, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens. While the last three teams are respected offenses, the Bills and Ravens have running quarterbacks, and the Seahawks wanted to protect Sam Darnold. If the Packers aren’t protecting Love, it’s time to allow him to be that guy.
In 2024, the situation was even more evident. For the first time since 2003, the Packers had more running plays than pass plays — the pass rate was only 49.31%, 30th in the league.
“I think it has to happen from the first quarter, from the first play, all the way through when you really need him in the fourth quarter and it’s third-down, and things are hot, and it’s third and seven, and it’s a gotta-have-it situation, and the defense is blitzing,” Joe Thomas added. “You’ve got to give Jordan Love that trust all the time, but Jordan Love has to be able to demand it with how he carries himself in the locker room, with the media, with the owners, with his coaching staff, and with what he’s doing and what he’s saying as far as understanding that I am the alpha dog in this organization, and you need to give me full responsibility to be able to do what I feel like is best for this team in those moments.”
Jordan Love has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in football, but the volume numbers aren’t there because he doesn’t have enough volume. Now, this could be a “Let Russ Cook” situation, where the coaching staff is essentially protecting a quarterback who wouldn’t be as good with more volume. But there’s only one way to find it out, and LaFleur needs to give Love more chances to show what he’s capable of before getting back to a more protective brand of football.
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